Sandwich class is an informal term used in
Hong Kong
Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
and
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
[{{Cite news , last=Tan , first=Ooi Boon , date=2021-03-21 , title=Why the sandwich class feels the money squeeze , url=https://www.straitstimes.com/business/invest/why-the-sandwich-class-feels-the-money-squeeze , url-access=subscription , access-date=2021-09-30 , work=The Straits Times , language=en , issn=0585-3923] to refer to the
lower middle class
In developed nations around the world, the lower middle class is a subdivision of the greater middle class. Universally, the term refers to the group of middle class households or individuals who have not attained the status of the middle or u ...
.
Generally, the sandwich class consists of lower-middle-class people who feel "squeezed" — although they are not poor, they are not able to achieve their aspirations as people with a higher income.
In Hong Kong, this comprises families with an income of US$20,000–40,000 per year. Per capita income is typically around US$10,000 per year in Hong Kong, so this places them far above the average family in the territory. However, given very high real estate prices, it is nowhere near enough for them to afford a private residence. Hence, they are "sandwiched" between the large population who truly need public assistance, and the smaller number of people who can afford private residences and other luxury goods.
In Singapore, the sandwich class typically refers to the middle class who are "sandwiched" between having luxuries and basic necessities. They generally have to support ageing parents and growing children. Their household income are usually around SGD $10,000. Typical issues range from unable to upgrade to private property, inability to enjoy a lifestyle or the means to support such a lifestyle, taking care of parents and children and inability to retire early.
See also
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Sandwich generation
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Sandwich Class Housing Scheme
The Sandwich Class Housing Scheme was a scheme from the Hong Kong Housing Society offering apartments to middle-income families, i.e. sandwich class, at concessionary prices during the 1990s in Hong Kong. The purchases were subject to a five ...
in Hong Kong
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My Home Purchase Plan
References
Middle class culture
Social classes