What was the best year in U.S. history for a middle class person?

[progressive85]

I'm thinking 1956.  That was before the 1958 recession and President Eisenhower won in a landslide so the economy must have been roaring along, with middle class wages very high.

The early 60s, the mid 80s, and the late 90s also are from what I've read very good times.

[Blue3]

Either the 50's or the 90's, both times of peace and prosperity that people get nostalgic about. Maybe maybe late 80's.

[Kingpoleon]

1992, 1985, and 1976?

[Mr. Smith]

1966

Great Society begins, 'Nam is still considered winnable, Manufacturing is still around for the working class.

[Seneca]

Middle class straight white man right?

[RFayette]

Sometime in the 1950's for a white person, probably late '90s for a black one.

[Vosem]

Considering the forward marches of communications technology, increasing life expectancy (for a variety of reasons), and decreased crime, I would say it's certainly within this century, and very likely within the last ten years. Honestly, would probably answer 2014 or 2015.

[Potus]

I object to the idea that this is an economic topic. The middle class is just as much about values and goals as it is about wealth and income.

[parochial boy]

I don't think you could really argue for any time post the mid-1970s, seeing as that was the beginning of the era of stagnant incomes, de-industrialisation and the gradual decline of job security.

Of course, the other point would be "define middle class".

[DC Al Fine]

Are they a man or a woman?

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Fifties for a white man, nineties for a non-white man, I'm not sure for a white or non-white woman but probably very recently.

[Kingpoleon]

Are they a man or a woman?

Bad economic times occur and then the averages become closer... I wonder if that's causation.

[OSR stands with Israel]

Mid 1950s, early 1960s, late 1980s, late 90s

[DC Al Fine]

I don't think you could really argue for any time post the mid-1970s, seeing as that was the beginning of the era of stagnant incomes, de-industrialisation and the gradual decline of job security.

Those are interesting factors. How would you go about measuring them?

The reason I ask is that humans are notoriously bad at estimating this sort of thing. If we don't have a proper measure, we could very easily come up with an unsubstantiated good ol' days narrative. I know I personally have done that with pensions where I vastly overestimated pension coverage even back in the good ol 1970's.

[parochial boy]

Good point, I guess, de-insdustisalisation is fairly straight forward, as you can look at the proportion of jobs in manusfacturing, which havefallen significantly since they peaked in the secnod half of the 1970s.

"Job Security" is inherently going to be harder to measure since it is probably fundamentally about perception as much as anything else. I guess you could substantially argue that job security as declined by pointing towards labour law reforms that have made it easier to fire people, as well as pointing towards the rise of contingent labour, and non-secure jobs.

[ag]

Considering the forward marches of communications technology, increasing life expectancy (for a variety of reasons), and decreased crime, I would say it's certainly within this century, and very likely within the last ten years. Honestly, would probably answer 2014 or 2015.

Yep. Actually, 2016 might turn out to be it.

[DavidB.]

5776.

[Blair]

Considering Smoking was much more widespread in the 50's you should probably be looking at times a bit closer to the present day

[HisGrace]

The 80's and 90's were generally pretty strong.