Are you actually middle class in Oklahoma? Here's what income a family of four needs

As inflation surges, America's middle class is shrinking. Families who previously made enough money to be considered middle class in Oklahoma may no longer be.

Consumer Affairs, with help from Pew Research Center figures and an inflation calculator by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, found the minimum annual income in each state to be considered middle class.

Here's how much money you have to make to be considered middle class in Oklahoma:

What income does a family of four need to be middle class in Oklahoma?

According to Consumer Affairs, a family of four that makes at least $61,664 is considered middle class in Oklahoma.

Lucky for Oklahomans, this number is on the lower end of income minimums across the country. Alabama and Arkansas are the two states with the lowest income minimum at $51,798. In Hawaii, families need the most to be middle class at $82,630.

Why are middle class income minimums increasing?

The portion of American adults living in middle-class households shrunk from 61% in 1971 to 50% in 2021, according to the Pew Research Center.

Meanwhile, the share of Americans in the lower and upper class have both increased, by 4 and 7 percentage points, respectively.

As the American middle class shrinks, struggles with financial insecurity and takes on increasing amounts of debt, Consumer Affairs said a major factor is inflation, which peaked at 9% in June 2022.

Other influences on the shrinking middle class include the country's aging population and the rise of remote work.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Middle class income 2023: Where do Oklahoma families land?