SmartAsset calculated the middle-class income ranges for 100 major U.S. cities and all 50 states based on the latest data.
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Jaclyn DeJohn, CFP for SmartAsset
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
For middle-class Americans, the dream has long been a life of reasonable comfort—a stable home, the ability to save enough money to retire, and enough left over for periodic splurges like family vacations, updated cars, or home improvements. But with living costs surging over the past few years, that dream is getting pricier. The latest data shows that the income needed to maintain a middle-class status has climbed, reflecting both inflation and shifting wages across the U.S.
Using Pew Research's definition of middle income—two-thirds to double the median household income—SmartAsset calculated the middle-class income ranges for 100 major U.S. cities and all 50 states based on the latest cost data.
Key Findings
Middle-class income in big cities ranges from $49,478 to $71,359. This is based on the latest Census Bureau data with a median household income of $74,225 across 100 of the largest U.S. cities. This is up from a middle-class income range of $47,568 to $142,718 a year earlier, when the median income was $71,359.
Massachusetts overtakes New Jersey as the priciest state for middle-class living. A household needs between $66,565 and $199,716 to be middle class in Massachusetts, a jump from $62,986 to $188,976, respectively, the year before. New Jersey ($66,514 to $199,562) and Maryland ($65,779 to $197,356) trail closely with the second- and third-highest ranges of middle-class income this year.
You could be earning $280,000 and still be middle class in this city. Arlington, Virginia, sets the highest bar to be in the middle class with a threshold of $93,470 to $280,438. And in California, San Jose ($90,810 to $272,458); Irvine ($85,317 to $255,978); and San Francisco ($84,478 to $253,460) also demand hefty earnings to stay in the middle.
Detroit's middle-class entry stays under $26,000. Detroit has the lowest income range to be considered a middle-class householdat $25,384 and caps at $76,160. Three Ohio cities follow closely: Cleveland ($26,025 to $78,082), Toledo ($30,865 to $92,604), and Cincinnati ($36,206 to $108,628).
Mississippi remains the leanest state for middle-class earnings. A range of $36,132 to $108,406 defines Mississippi's middle class at the state level, ticking up from $35,142 to $105,438 in 2022, as the median rose 2.8% to $54,203. West Virginia ($37,295 to $111,896) and Louisiana ($38,815 to $116,458) follow, each with around 3% median income gains.
Top 10 Cities With Highest Middle Class Income Threshold
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Arlington, Virginia
Median income, 2023: $140,219
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $93,470
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $280,438
Median income, 2022: $132,380
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $88,245
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $264,760
San Jose, California
Median income, 2023: $136,229
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $90,810
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $272,458
Median income, 2022: $133,835
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $89,214
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $267,670
Irvine, California
Median income, 2023: $127,989
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $85,317
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $255,978
Median income, 2022: $123,003
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $81,994
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $246,006
San Francisco
Median income, 2023: $126,730
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $84,478
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $253,460
Median income, 2022: $136,692
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $91,118
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $273,384
Gilbert, Arizona
Median income, 2023: $122,445
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $81,622
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $244,890
Median income, 2022: $111,393
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $74,255
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $222,786
Seattle
Median income, 2023: $120,608
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $80,397
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $241,216
Median income, 2022: $115,409
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $76,932
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $230,818
Plano, Texas
Median income, 2023: $108,594
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $72,389
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $217,188
Median income, 2022: $103,916
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $69,270
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $207,832
Washington, D.C.
Median income, 2023: $108,210
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $72,133
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $216,420
Median income, 2022: $101,027
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $67,345
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $202,054
Chula Vista, California
Median income, 2023: $106,623
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $71,075
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $213,246
Median income, 2022: $101,190
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $67,453
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $202,380
Scottsdale, Arizona
Median income, 2023: $106,058
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2023: $70,698
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2023: $212,116
Median income, 2022: $100,636
Lower bounds on middle class income, 2022: $67,084
Upper bounds on middle class income, 2022: $201,272
Top 10 Cities With the Lowest Middle Class Income Threshold
Detroit
Median income (2023): $38,080
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $25,384
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $76,160
Median income (2022): $36,453
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $24,300
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $72,906
Cleveland
Median income (2023): $39,041
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $26,025
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $78,082
Median income (2022): $37,351
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $24,898
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $74,702
Toledo, Ohio
Median income (2023): $46,302
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $30,865
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $92,604
Median income (2022): $47,365
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $31,574
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $94,730
Buffalo, New York
Median income (2023): $46,458
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $30,969
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $92,916
Median income (2022): $48,904
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $32,599
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $97,808
Memphis, Tennessee
Median income (2023): $51,399
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $34,263
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $102,798
Median income (2022): $50,622
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $33,745
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $101,244
Milwaukee
Median income (2023): $52,992
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $35,324
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $105,984
Median income (2022): $49,270
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $32,843
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $98,540
Newark, New Jersey
Median income (2023): $53,818
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $35,875
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $107,636
Median income (2022): $49,688
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $33,122
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $99,376
Cincinnati
Median income (2023): $54,314
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $36,206
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $108,628
Median income (2022): $48,130
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $32,083
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $96,260
Lubbock, Texas
Median income (2023): $54,451
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $36,297
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $108,902
Median income (2022): $56,910
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $37,936
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $113,820
New Orleans
Median income (2023): $55,580
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $37,050
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $111,160
Median income (2022): $52,322
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $34,878
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $104,644
Top 10 States With the Highest Middle Class Income Threshold
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Massachusetts
Median income (2023): $99,858
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $66,565
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $199,716
Median income (2022): $94,488
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $62,986
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $188,976
New Jersey
Median income (2023): $99,781
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $66,514
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $199,562
Median income (2022): $96,346
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $64,224
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $192,692
Maryland
Median income (2023): $98,678
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $65,779
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $197,356
Median income (2022): $94,991
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $63,321
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $189,982
New Hampshire
Median income (2023): $96,838
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $64,552
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $193,676
Median income (2022): $89,992
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $59,989
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $179,984
California
Median income (2023): $95,521
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $63,674
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $191,042
Median income (2022): $91,551
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $61,028
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $183,102
Hawaii
Median income (2023): $95,322
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $63,542
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $190,644
Median income (2022): $92,458
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $61,633
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $184,916
Washington
Median income (2023): $94,605
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $63,064
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $189,210
Median income (2022): $91,306
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $60,865
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $182,612
Utah
Median income (2023): $93,421
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $62,274
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $186,842
Median income (2022): $89,168
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $59,439
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $178,336
Colorado
Median income (2023): $92,911
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $61,934
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $185,822
Median income (2022): $89,302
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $59,529
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $178,604
Connecticut
Median income (2023): $91,665
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $61,104
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $183,330
Median income (2022): $88,429
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $58,947
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $176,858
Top 10 States With the Lowest Middle Income Threshold
Mississippi
Median income (2023): $54,203
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $36,132
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $108,406
Median income (2022): $52,719
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $35,142
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $105,438
West Virginia
Median income (2023): $55,948
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $37,295
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $111,896
Median income (2022): $54,329
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $36,216
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $108,658
Louisiana
Median income (2023): $58,229
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $38,815
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $116,458
Median income (2022): $55,416
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $36,940
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $110,832
Arkansas
Median income (2023): $58,700
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $39,129
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $117,400
Median income (2022): $55,432
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $36,951
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $110,864
Kentucky
Median income (2023): $61,118
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $40,741
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $122,236
Median income (2022): $59,341
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $39,557
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $118,682
Oklahoma
Median income (2023): $62,138
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $41,421
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $124,276
Median income (2022): $59,673
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $39,778
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $119,346
Alabama
Median income (2023): $62,212
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $41,471
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $124,424
Median income (2022): $59,674
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $39,779
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $119,348
New Mexico
Median income (2023): $62,268
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $41,508
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $124,536
Median income (2022): $59,726
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $39,813
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $119,452
Tennessee
Median income (2023): $67,631
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $45,083
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $135,262
Median income (2022): $65,254
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $43,498
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $130,508
Ohio
Median income (2023): $67,769
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2023): $45,175
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2023): $135,538
Median income (2022): $65,720
Lower bounds on middle-class income (2022): $43,809
Upper bounds on middle-class income (2022): $131,440
Data and Methodology
To determine the income limits to be in the middle class, SmartAsset analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau's 2023 1-year American Community Survey data for the median household income in 100 of the largest U.S. cities, as well as all 50 states. SmartAsset applied a variation of the Pew Research definition of middle-income households, which defines a middle class salary range by two-thirds to double the median U.S. salary, to determine the middle-class income range.
