5 signs you're probably not part of the middle class

If your own health care costs aren't a particular source of stress, congratulations! That's probably because you're sitting comfortably in the upper echelons of the economic classes.

The middle class, on the other hand, is increasingly feeling a financial squeeze when it comes to medical expenses, as reporting from The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal has shown.

Sorry to those who enjoy the freedom that comes with a single lifestyle, but according to a survey by Northwestern Mutual, it's statistically less likely that those individuals would identify themselves as middle class (about 55%) compared to those who are married or have a partner (upwards of 75%). The survey also found that men are more likely to identify as middle class than women (74% versus 64%, respectively).

If you were a lower-income earner during the 2000s, you probably felt the effects more than most. On average, low-income individuals lost about 9% of their earnings from 2000 to 2014, while those in the middle-income segment lost only 4%, according to the Pew Research Center. Unfortunately, that loss — combined with declining social mobility — means it's likely that many of those who fit that description could be in the same place they were a decade ago.

Home may be where the heart is, but if you're 22 or older and living within 10 miles of your childhood home, it's more likely that you're low-income than in the middle, according to a recent study from the Federal Reserve. Those who have relocated further away, on the other hand, were found to be more likely to experience a higher degree of financial success.