The perception of social class is an issue for which there is still no universally accepted criterion. Most people tend to identify with the middle class, whether they have a very high or very low income.
According to the latest barometer from the Center for Sociological Research (IEC), corresponding to the month of November 2023, 44.6% of respondents said they belonged to the middle classwhile only less than 4% consider themselves to be part of the upper middle and upper classes. But how do we know which segment each one belongs to?
One of the most widely used criteria is that established by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). This does not define exactly what a lower, middle and upper class is, but rather looks at the incomes of each country and, based on these, makes a calculation to see which segment each salary corresponds to.
For the OECD, the lower class is made up of those whose income is less than 75% of the national median income; the middle class, which is between 75% and 200% of the median, while the upper class is that which exceeds 200% of the median.
Three quarters or double 15,000 euros
According to their latest calculation, made in 2019, the median was then 15,193 euros per year. Applying their formulas, we obtain that incomes below 11,395 euros per year would fall into the lower class; Between this figure and 30,386 euros would be the middle class, while above thirty thousand euros would be the upper class.
If it is lowered to monthly perimeterthe median income was 1,790 euros per month. Therefore, incomes below 1,343 euros per month would fall into the lower class; between this figure and 3,581 euros per month would be the middle class, while above 3,581 euros would be the upper class.
These figures varied depending on the number of people living in the household, with the median (and ranges) increasing as the number of residents increased.
