How much money do you really need to have to be considered middle class? It might take more money than you think to reach this income tier. The Pew Research Center defines middle-class, or middle-income households, as those with incomes that are two-thirds to double the U.S. median household income.
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However, because the cost of living and average income vary so widely from state to state, the income needed to be “middle class” in one state could be much more or less than what it takes to be middle class in another. Using Pew’s definition of the middle class, GOBankingRates analyzed data from the 2022 American Community Survey as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, then found the middle-class income for every state.
Let’s dig right in :
SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto Alabama Median household income: $59,609 Lowest end of middle class income: $39,739 Highest end of middle class income: $119,218 Find Out: 6 Reasons the Poor Stay Poor and Middle Class Doesn’t Become Wealthy
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filo / iStock.com Alaska Median household income: $86,370 Lowest end of middle class income: $57,579 Highest end of middle class income: $172,740 Read Next: 7 Popular Clothing Brands the Middle Class Can’t Afford Anymore
halbergman / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Arizona Median household income: $72,581 Lowest end of middle class income: $48,387 Highest end of middle class income: $145,162 DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com Arkansas Median household income: $56,335 Lowest end of middle class income: $37,556 Highest end of middle class income: $112,670 ©Zillow
California Median household income: $91,905 Lowest end of middle class income: $61,269 Highest end of middle class income: $183,810 ©Shutterstock.com Colorado Median household income: $87,598 Lowest end of middle class income: $58,398 Highest end of middle class income: $175,196 Discover More: Net Worth for Baby Boomers: How To Tell Whether You’re Poor, Middle Class, Upper Middle Class or Rich
Pugalenthi / Getty Images/iStockphoto Connecticut Median household income: $90,213 Lowest end of middle class income: $60,141 Highest end of middle class income: $180,426 DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
Delaware Median household income: $79,325 Lowest end of middle class income: $52,883 Highest end of middle class income: $158,650 Art Wager / iStock/Getty Images Florida Median household income: $67,917 Lowest end of middle class income: $45,278 Highest end of middle class income: $135,834 ©Shutterstock.com Georgia Median household income: $71,355 Lowest end of middle class income: $47,570 Highest end of middle class income: $142,710 For You: I’m a Financial Advisor: Here’s Why My Rich Clients Identify With the Middle Class
Art Wager / Getty Images Hawaii Median household income: $94,814 Lowest end of middle class income: $63,209 Highest end of middle class income: $189,628 Charles Knowles / Shutterstock.com Idaho Median household income: $70,214 Lowest end of middle class income: $46,809 Highest end of middle class income: $140,428 ©Shutterstock.com Illinois Median household income: $78,433 Lowest end of middle class income: $52,288 Highest end of middle class income: $156,866 Purdue9394 / Getty Images Indiana Median household income: $67,173 Lowest end of middle class income: $44,782 Highest end of middle class income: $134,346 Trending Now: Net Worth for US Families: How To Tell If You’re Poor, Middle Class, Upper Middle Class or Rich
Davel5957 / Getty Images Iowa Median household income: $70,571 Lowest end of middle class income: $47,047 Highest end of middle class income: $141,142 Davel5957 / iStock.com Kansas Median household income: $69,747 Lowest end of middle class income: $46,498 Highest end of middle class income: $139,494 Davel5957 / iStock.com Kentucky Median household income: $60,183 Lowest end of middle class income: $40,122 Highest end of middle class income: $120,366 Jorg Hackermann / Shutterstock.com Louisiana Median household income: $57,852 Lowest end of middle class income: $38,568 Highest end of middle class income: $115,704 Explore More: Billionaires vs. the Middle Class: Who Pays More in Taxes?
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto Maine Median household income: $68,251 Lowest end of middle class income: $45,500 Highest end of middle class income: $136,502 Melpomenem / Getty Images/iStockphoto Maryland Median household income: $98,461 Lowest end of middle class income: $65,640 Highest end of middle class income: $196,922 ©Shutterstock.com Massachusetts Median household income: $96,505 Lowest end of middle class income: $64,336 Highest end of middle class income: $193,010 ©iStock.com Michigan Median household income: $68,505 Lowest end of middle class income: $45,670 Highest end of middle class income: $137,010 Find Out: 7 Locations Where Housing Prices Are Plummeting Post-Pandemic
YinYang / iStock.com Minnesota Median household income: $84,313 Lowest end of middle class income: $56,208 Highest end of middle class income: $168,626 DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto Mississippi Median household income: $52,985 Lowest end of middle class income: $35,323 Highest end of middle class income: $105,970 Josh_Weinstock / Getty Images/iStockphoto Missouri Median household income: $65,920 Lowest end of middle class income: $43,946 Highest end of middle class income: $131,840 Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com Montana Median household income: $66,341 Lowest end of middle class income: $44,227 Highest end of middle class income: $132,682 Check Out: Don’t Buy a House in These 5 US Cities That Have Shrinking Populations and Fewer Buyers
benkrut / Getty Images/iStockphoto Nebraska Median household income: $71,722 Lowest end of middle class income: $47,814 Highest end of middle class income: $143,444 LPETTET / Getty Images Nevada Median household income: $71,646 Lowest end of middle class income: $47,764 Highest end of middle class income: $143,292 DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto New Hampshire Median household income: $90,845 Lowest end of middle class income: $60,563 Highest end of middle class income: $181,690 hanusst / Getty Images/iStockphoto New Jersey Median household income: $97,126 Lowest end of middle class income: $64,750 Highest end of middle class income: $194,252 Learn More: Dave Ramsey: Why You Shouldn’t Pay Off Your Mortgage Early Even If You Can
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com New Mexico Median household income: $58,722 Lowest end of middle class income: $39,148 Highest end of middle class income: $117,444 frankpeters / Getty Images/iStockphoto New York Median household income: $81,386 Lowest end of middle class income: $54,257 Highest end of middle class income: $162,772 ©Shutterstock.com North Carolina Median household income: $66,186 Lowest end of middle class income: $44,124 Highest end of middle class income: $132,372 DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto North Dakota Median household income: $73,959 Lowest end of middle class income: $49,306 Highest end of middle class income: $147,918 Discover More: 5 Types of Homes That Will Plummet in Value in 2024
Jenjira Indon / Getty Images/iStockphoto Ohio Median household income: $66,990 Lowest end of middle class income: $44,660 Highest end of middle class income: $133,980 ©Shutterstock.com Oklahoma Median household income: $61,364 Lowest end of middle class income: $40,909 Highest end of middle class income: $122,728 ©Zillow Oregon Median household income: $76,632 Lowest end of middle class income: $51,087 Highest end of middle class income: $153,264 Pgiam / iStock.com Pennsylvania Median household income: $73,170 Lowest end of middle class income: $48,780 Highest end of middle class income: $146,340 Be Aware: Is Barbara Corcoran Right About the Housing Market?
SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com Rhode Island Median household income: $81,370 Lowest end of middle class income: $54,246 Highest end of middle class income: $162,740 Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com South Carolina Median household income: $63,623 Lowest end of middle class income: $42,415 Highest end of middle class income: $127,246 DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto South Dakota Median household income: $69,457 Lowest end of middle class income: $46,304 Highest end of middle class income: $138,914 Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com Tennessee Median household income: $64,035 Lowest end of middle class income: $42,690 Highest end of middle class income: $128,070 Read Next: Housing Market 2024: 5 Florida Cities That Are Suddenly Affordable
©Shutterstock.com Texas Median household income: $73,035 Lowest end of middle class income: $48,690 Highest end of middle class income: $146,070 AndreyKrav / iStock.com Utah Median household income: $86,833 Lowest end of middle class income: $57,888 Highest end of middle class income: $173,666 DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com Vermont Median household income: $74,014 Lowest end of middle class income: $49,342 Highest end of middle class income: $148,028 ferrantraite / Getty Images Virginia Median household income: $87,249 Lowest end of middle class income: $58,165 Highest end of middle class income: $174,498 Learn More: Why a Billionaire Bought a Bunch of Homes In Duluth, Minnesota
SEASTOCK / Getty Images/iStockphoto Washington Median household income: $90,325 Lowest end of middle class income: $60,216 Highest end of middle class income: $180,650 ©Shutterstock.com West Virginia Median household income: $55,217 Lowest end of middle class income: $36,811 Highest end of middle class income: $110,434 Ron_Thomas / Getty Images Wisconsin Median household income: $72,458 Lowest end of middle class income: $48,305 Highest end of middle class income: $144,916 DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto Wyoming Median household income: $72,495 Lowest end of middle class income: $48,330 Highest end of middle class income: $144,990 Cynthia Measom and Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting of this article.
Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates found every state’s median household income as sourced from the 2022 American Community Survey as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Then, by following the Pew Research Center’s definition of middle-class income — “two-thirds to double the income of an area” — we found the middle-class income for every state. All data was collected and is up to date as of May 23, 2024.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State?