In 1980 middle-class families lived in a world of Atari consoles, rotary phones and station wagons with wood paneling. The median U.S. household income was $21,020, enough to buy a modest home, a reliable car and take a family vacation without much debt.
According to Pew Research Center, the middle class includes households earning two-thirds to twice the national median income. By that measure, being middle class in 1980 meant earning roughly $14,000 to $42,000.
