A new assessment by the German Economic Institute (IW) provides insight into who belongs to the middle class and who qualifies as part of the affluent upper class in Germany. One striking finding: personal perception often differs significantly from statistical realities.

But who actually belongs to the middle class? According to the authors, a single person with a household net income of at least 1,850 Euros per month is classified as middle class. For a family of four, the threshold is 3,880 Euros. A key factor is the so-called needs weighting: children have lower financial needs than adults, and family members often share household appliances rather than using their own.

On the other hand, anyone earning more than 250 percent of the median income is considered part of the affluent upper class. For a single person, this threshold starts at a monthly household net income of 5,780 Euros. Only about four percent of the German population falls into this category. A childless couple with a combined income of 8,670 Euros or more also belongs to this group.

People's assessment of their own income situation often deviates significantly from statistical reality. According to previous surveys, many Germans estimate that about 25 percent of the population is wealthy. At the same time, most people will hardly place themselves in the affluent upper class. Indeed, many people are surprised to learn that earning just under 9,000 Euros per month already places them among the top four percent of society. Nevertheless, neither in Germany nor internationally is there an accepted measure for determining when someone is "rich."