upper middle class
Well-off but working
The upper middle class is the social stratum below the wealthy but above the broad middle—typically professionals, executives, and business owners with high incomes, advanced degrees, and cultural capital.
They live comfortably but still work for their money: doctors, lawyers, and upper middle class families in the suburbs.
The boundaries are fuzzy and vary by region.
Office work designation
- managerialOf or relating to oversight
- corporateOf or relating to companies
- executiveSenior organizational leader
- career-orientedFocused on professional advancement
credentials · consultant · specialist · expertise · analyst · administrator · doctor · lawyer
Private recreational membership facility
- gourmetConnoisseur of fine cuisine
- leisureFree time for relaxation
- vacationLeisure time away
- private schoolTuition-funded educational institution
golf · wine tasting · organic · wellness · second home · travel · dining out · cultural events
Striving toward ideals
- upwardly mobileRising in social class
- bourgeoisMiddle-class and conventional
- gentrificationWealthy influx displacing locals
- meritocraticFavoring ability over privilege
respectability · social climbing · prestige · nouveau riche · establishment · credentialed · strivers
Having abundant financial resources
- prosperousEnjoying wealth and success
- well-to-doHaving ample wealth
- comfortablePhysically at ease
- moneyedHaving substantial wealth
well-off · high-income · privileged · discretionary income · nest egg · savings · investment · portfolio
Street closed at end
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- HOAResidential community organization
- commuterOne who travels regularly
- gated communityRestricted-access residential area
two-car garage · lawn care · property values · homeownership · master-planned · bedroom community · neighborhood watch · PTA
Higher education institution
- degreeUnit of measurement
- graduate schoolInstitution awarding advanced degrees
- college prepReadiness for higher education
- private schoolTuition-funded educational institution
tutoring · extracurriculars · SAT prep · alumni network · credential · intellectual · informed · Ivy League
white-collar
Office work designation
- managerialOf or relating to oversight
- corporateOf or relating to companies
- executiveSenior organizational leader
career-oriented · credentials · consultant · specialist · expertise · analyst · administrator · doctor · lawyer · engineer
country club
Private recreational membership facility
private school · golf · wine tasting · organic · wellness · second home · travel · dining out · cultural events · tennis
aspirational
Striving toward ideals
- upwardly mobileRising in social class
- bourgeoisMiddle-class and conventional
- gentrificationWealthy influx displacing locals
meritocratic · respectability · social climbing · prestige · nouveau riche · establishment · credentialed · strivers
affluent
Having abundant financial resources
- prosperousEnjoying wealth and success
- well-to-doHaving ample wealth
- comfortablePhysically at ease
moneyed · well-off · high-income · privileged · discretionary income · nest egg · savings · investment · portfolio · stocks
cul-de-sac
Street closed at end
- subdivisionPortion of something larger
- HOAResidential community organization
- commuterOne who travels regularly
gated community · two-car garage · lawn care · property values · homeownership · master-planned · bedroom community · neighborhood watch · PTA · soccer mom
university
Higher education institution
- degreeUnit of measurement
- graduate schoolInstitution awarding advanced degrees
- college prepReadiness for higher education
private school · tutoring · extracurriculars · SAT prep · alumni network · credential · intellectual · informed · Ivy League · boarding school
- social classesnobles, aristocrats, underclass, peasants, elite
- wealth statuspoor, rich, wealthy, affluent, low income
- bourgeoisiepetit bourgeois, shop owners, shopkeepers, merchants, business owners
- Wealth Classespoor, rich, wealthy, affluent, millionaires
upper middle classlower class
Lowest socioeconomic stratum
working class · underclass · working poor · lower middle class · proletariat
upper middle classunderclass
Lowest socioeconomic group
lowbrow · common · blue-collar · working class · uncredentialed
upper middle classprecariat
Class facing chronic instability
working poor · struggling · paycheck to paycheck · hand to mouth · hand-to-mouth
class, middle, upper, middleman, middling, upped, uppermost, upper class, uppercut