Smith’s Million-Dollar Middle-Class Claim Draws PushbackYoung Families Are Squeezed by Costs Politicians Keep IgnoringThe Million-Dollar Middle-Class Myth Fuels Economic Despair
Comedian and podcaster Dave Smith said young men may need to earn $1 million a year for a middle-class lifestyle, prompting criticism and debate over housing costs and Americans’ economic prospects.Dave Smith’s million-dollar estimate may be too sweeping, but steep housing, childcare and education costs are making a secure family life harder for young adults.Dave Smith’s claim that young men need $1 million for a middle-class life exaggerates the problem and risks obscuring rising incomes and practical ways to reduce costs.