Here’s how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

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Here’s how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked
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6a33087f4074dae0e2045348?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked
  • Household incomes can vary widely across the US — and what counts as middle class does as well.
  • Massachusetts has the highest median household income in the US, while Mississippi has the lowest.
  • Households earning between two-thirds and double the median income are considered middle-class.

For many, the label can describe a suburban, non-excessive way of life, but the actual income it implies can span a wide range of lifestyles.

A recent SmartAsset study calculated the income needed to be considered middle class in every US state.

The study used the US Census Bureau’s 2024 one-year American Community Survey median household income estimates for all 50 states. It applied a variation of the Pew Research Center’s definition of middle class — households that earn between two-thirds and double the median income — to identify a middle-class salary range.

In Massachusetts, the highest-ranked state, a household can earn up to $209,656 and still be considered middle class, while in Mississippi, the lowest-ranked, earning more than $118,254 puts you above the threshold. In West Virginia, the second-lowest, a household earning $40,532 can be considered middle class, while in New Jersey, the second-highest, it takes an annual income of $69,529 to do so.

50. Mississippi

6a32ef19564c774507cd3ee9?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $39,418 to $118,254

Median household income: $59,127

Mississippi has the lowest middle-class income ceiling in the US.

  1. West Virginia
    6a32ff724074dae0e20452a5?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $40,532 to $121,596

Median household income: $60,798

  1. Louisiana
    6a32ed914074dae0e2045167?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $40,657 to $121,972

Median household income: $60,986

  1. Arkansas
    6a32e7c52bbd1d834ef25085?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $41,404 to $124,212

Median household income: $62,106

  1. Kentucky
    6a32ed472bbd1d834ef250f5?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $43,017 to $129,052

Median household income: $64,526

  1. Oklahoma
    6a32fc574074dae0e2045265?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $44,099 to $132,296

Median household income: $66,148

  1. Alabama
    6a32e73a4074dae0e20450cf?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $44,439 to $133,318

Median household income: $66,659

  1. New Mexico
    6a32f9ac2bbd1d834ef251de?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $45,211 to $135,632

Median household income: $67,816

  1. Missouri
    6a32ef55564c774507cd3eeb?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $47,726 to $143,178

Median household income: $71,589

  1. Indiana
    6a32eba64074dae0e204513f?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $47,973 to $143,918

Median household income: $71,959

  1. Tennessee
    6a32fddb2bbd1d834ef25226?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $47,998 to $143,994

Median household income: $71,997

  1. Ohio
    6a32fc1e2bbd1d834ef251fe?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $48,141 to $144,424

Median household income: $72,212

  1. South Carolina
    6a32fd5a564c774507cd3fe1?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $48,233 to $144,700

Median household income: $72,350

  1. Michigan
    6a32eeb02bbd1d834ef25111?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $48,259 to $144,778

Median household income: $72,389

  1. North Carolina
    6a32fb63564c774507cd3fc4?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $49,305 to $147,916

Median household income: $73,958

  1. Montana
    6a32f038564c774507cd3ef5?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $50,227 to $150,680

Median household income: $75,340

  1. Iowa
    6a32ebdd4074dae0e2045145?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $50,334 to $151,002

Median household income: $75,501

  1. Kansas
    6a32ed2a564c774507cd3ec2?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $50,343 to $151,028

Median household income: $75,514

  1. Wyoming
    6a32ffff564c774507cd400f?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $50,355 to $151,064

Median household income: $75,532

  1. Nebraska
    6a32f3534074dae0e20451da?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $50,917 to $152,752

Median household income: $76,376

  1. Maine
    6a2878af59f798e5451f5429?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $50,961 to $152,884

Median household income: $76,442

  1. South Dakota
    6a32fd944074dae0e204527b?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $51,254 to $153,762

Median household income: $76,881

  1. Wisconsin
    6a32ffb44074dae0e20452a7?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $51,659 to $154,976

Median household income: $77,488

  1. Pennsylvania
    6a32fcdc2bbd1d834ef25210?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $51,697 to $155,090

Median household income: $77,545

  1. Florida
    6a32ea78564c774507cd3e8f?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $51,823 to $155,470

Median household income: $77,735

  1. North Dakota
    6a32fbb6564c774507cd3fc7?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $51,914 to $155,742

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Median household income: $77,871

  1. Texas
    6a32fe354074dae0e204528c?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $53,147 to $159,442

Median household income: $79,721

  1. Georgia
    6a32eab52bbd1d834ef250d0?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $53,327 to $159,982

Median household income: $79,991

  1. Nevada
    6a32f3864074dae0e20451de?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $54,089 to $162,268

Median household income: $81,134

  1. Idaho
    6a32eb30564c774507cd3e9d?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $54,111 to $162,332

Median household income: $81,166

  1. Arizona
    6a32e79b564c774507cd3e46?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $54,324 to $162,972

Median household income: $81,486

  1. Vermont
    6a32fe974074dae0e2045293?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $55,153 to $165,460

Median household income: $82,730

  1. Illinois
    6a32eb6e564c774507cd3ea1?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $55,474 to $166,422

Median household income: $83,211

  1. Rhode Island
    6a32fd1e4074dae0e2045274?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $55,669 to $167,008

Median household income: $83,504

  1. Oregon
    6a32fc95564c774507cd3fd2?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $56,813 to $170,440

Median household income: $85,220

  1. New York
    6a32fa084074dae0e204524f?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $57,213 to $171,640

Median household income: $85,820

  1. Minnesota
    6a29a76cb19390180e4cfa2e?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $58,078 to $174,234

Median household income: $87,117

  1. Delaware
    6a32ea534074dae0e2045120?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $58,356 to $175,068

Median household income: $87,534

  1. Virginia
    6a32fecb4074dae0e2045295?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $61,393 to $184,180

Median household income: $92,090

  1. Alaska
    6a32e76c4074dae0e20450d9?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $63,777 to $191,330

Median household income: $95,665

  1. Connecticut
    6a32e9f52bbd1d834ef250ba?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $64,033 to $192,098

Median household income: $96,049

  1. Utah
    6a32fe5d4074dae0e204528d?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $64,439 to $193,316

Median household income: $96,658

  1. Colorado
    6a32e9b22bbd1d834ef250b4?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $64,742 to $194,226

Median household income: $97,113

  1. Washington
    6a32ff12564c774507cd3ffd?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $66,259 to $198,778

Median household income: $99,389

  1. New Hampshire
    6a32f9404074dae0e2045241?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $66,521 to $199,564

Median household income: $99,782

  1. California
    6a32e80c2bbd1d834ef25094?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $66,766 to $200,298

Median household income: $100,149

  1. Hawaii
    6a32eae62bbd1d834ef250d6?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $67,163 to $201,490

Median household income: $100,745

  1. Maryland
    6a32ee154074dae0e2045174?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $68,603 to $205,810

Median household income: $102,905

  1. New Jersey
    6a32f9634074dae0e2045243?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $69,529 to $208,588

Median household income: $104,294

  1. Massachusetts
    6a32ee562bbd1d834ef2510e?format=jpeg Here's how much you need to earn to be middle class in every US state, ranked

Middle-class range: $69,885 to $209,656

Median household income: $104,828

Massachusetts has the highest middle-class income ceiling in the US.

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in June 2026 and most recently updated in November 2026.

Read the original article on Business Insider

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