What's "middle class"?

For the candidates: here are household income percentiles (2006 = last available year). Source: Census Bureau.

20%-ile: $20,035
40%-ile: $37,774
median : $48,201
60%-ile: $60,000
80%-ile: $97,032
95%-ile: $174,012

80% of U.S. households made $97,000 or less in 2006. The 80th percentile seems like a reasonable upper limit for the "middle class".

Politicians & pundits who pretend that an income of $200,000 represents the "middle class" are simply out of touch.

Presented as a public service.