The problem is that there's not one definition of middle class. Most Americans think that they're middle class, whether they make $22k or $200k: https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2016-america-divided/midd...

Everyone lives inside their own social bubbles and think that their lifestyle is average. In this bubble, vacations to Europe every year are normal; "Everyone" send their kids to private school, dines out three times a week etc.