By the numbers

Among 3,017 respondents to the survey in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, 49.6 percent were regarded as middle class. The average age of these middle-class people was 40, and 47 percent of them were men.

61 percent said they own their own house and 43.6 percent a private car.

Of the respondents, 1,013 were from Beijing, 561 of those middle class.

1,004 of the respondents were from Shanghai, 511 of those middle class.

1,000 were from Guangzhou, 425 of those middle class.

In 2013 the average annual family income of the middle class in Beijing was 256,000 yuan ($39,300). The figure for Shanghai was 219,770 yuan and for Guangzhou 170,037 yuan.

In the three cities, in 2013 the average annual family income of the middle class was 197,900 yuan, nearly three and a half times that of the non middle class (55,990).

The average wage income of the middle class in 2013 was 191,879 yuan, and of the non middle class 60,772 yuan. The average income related to activities outside employment of the middle class was 32,600 yuan, and of the non middle class 5,740 yuan. The property income of the middle class was 21,400 yuan and of the non middle class 1,450 yuan.

In 2013 total average outgoings of the middle class were 113,740 yuan, and of the non middle class 41,680. The middle class spent most on food and beverages, about 30,000 yuan, on which the non middle class spent less than 20,000 yuan. The middle class spent the second most on housing, 15,100, four times that of the non middle class.

In Beijing, the middle class spent 126,000 yuan, in Shanghai they spent 115,650 yuan and in Guangzhou 95,200 yuan.

Employment: 53 percent gained their current job through personal applications, 21.4 percent through national recruitment and 13 percent through the recommendations of others.

NGO activities: 49.4 percent of the middle class said they donated money or items to charity, 22.7 percent said they were active in environmental protection, 18.1 percent said they donated blood voluntarily, 13.3 percent offered professional consultation free of charge, 12.2 percent said they did voluntary cleaning in their community and 7.8 percent said they took care of the elderly who have no family.

Social groups: 22.2 percent said they were members of trade unions, 21.6 percent were members of alumni associations, 15.9 percent were members of groups related to entertainment or other individual interests, 8.2 percent said they belonged to education or arts organizations and 4.9 said they were members of associations related to clans or fellow villagers or citizens.