General Discussion

10 Things the Middle Class Won’t Be Able To Afford in Less Than a Decade

Caitlyn Moorhead
Wed, November 6, 2024 at 11:00 AM EST 6 min read

In a world where the financial landscape is constantly shifting, the American middle class often finds itself in a precarious position.

The cost of living is increasing across the board thanks to areas such as housing, higher education and healthcare, just to name a few. People used to find that earning a standard middle-class income could still provide comfort, but now, they find themselves living paycheck to paycheck.

Caught between the affluence of the wealthy and the struggles of the lower middle-class families and economic tiers, middle-class incomes are putting individuals in steeper financial challenges that could significantly alter their lifestyle in the coming decade. When you have to battle student loans well into the age when you should have been saving for retirement, the struggle to afford any future luxuries or even necessities starts to become overwhelming.

Here are five things that, if current trends continue, may become unaffordable for the middle class in less than 10 years.