How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State?

benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto
benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto

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.

Learn More: A $150K Income Is ‘Lower Middle Class’ In These High-Cost Cities
Try This: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money

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 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.

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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: How Far a $100,000 Salary Goes in America’s 50 Largest Cities
Be Aware: In Less Than a Decade, You Won’t Be Able To Afford Homes in These ZIP Codes

Sponsored: Protect Your Wealth With A Gold IRA. Take advantage of the timeless appeal of gold in a Gold IRA recommended by Sean Hannity.

Alaska

  • Median household income: $86,370

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $57,579

  • Highest end of middle class income: $172,740

Read Next: Toilet Paper to Discontinued Items: 7 Ways Shrinkflation Has Come to Costco

halbergman / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
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

California

  • Median household income: $91,905

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $61,269

  • Highest end of middle class income: $183,810

Colorado

  • Median household income: $87,598

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $58,398 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $175,196 

Discover More: ​​Here’s What the US Minimum Wage Was the Year You Were Born

Pugalenthi / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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
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

Florida

  • Median household income: $67,917  

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $45,278  

  • Highest end of middle class income: $135,834

Georgia

  • Median household income: $71,355 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $47,570  

  • Highest end of middle class income: $142,710

For You: 7 Ways the Upper Middle Class Can Become Rich in 2024

Hawaii

  • Median household income: $94,814 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $63,209

  • Highest end of middle class income: $189,628

Idaho

  • Median household income: $70,214  

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $46,809 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $140,428

Illinois

  • Median household income: $78,433 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $52,288 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $156,866

Indiana

  • Median household income: $67,173 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $44,782  

  • Highest end of middle class income: $134,346 

Trending Now: Suze Orman: 3 Ways To Prepare for the Upcoming Financial Pandemic

Iowa

  • Median household income: $70,571

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $47,047

  • Highest end of middle class income:$141,142

Kansas

  • Median household income: $69,747 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $46,498 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $139,494

Kentucky

  • Median household income: $60,183

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $40,122

  • Highest end of middle class income: $120,366

Louisiana

  • Median household income: $57,852

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $38,568 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $115,704

Explore More: The Best Place To Live on a $100,000 Salary in Every State

Maine

  • Median household income: $68,251 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $45,500 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $136,502 

Maryland

  • Median household income: $98,461 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $65,640 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $196,922

Massachusetts

  • Median household income: $96,505 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $64,336 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $193,010

Michigan

  • Median household income: $68,505 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $45,670

  • Highest end of middle class income: $137,010

Find Out: How Much Household Income Will Be Considered Upper Middle Class in 5 Years?

Minnesota

  • Median household income: $84,313

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $56,208

  • Highest end of middle class income: $168,626

Mississippi

  • Median household income: $52,985

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $35,323

  • Highest end of middle class income: $105,970   

Missouri

  • Median household income: $65,920

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $43,946

  • Highest end of middle class income: $131,840

Montana

  • Median household income: $66,341 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $44,227

  • Highest end of middle class income: $132,682

Check Out: 7 Things the Middle Class Won’t Be Able To Afford in the Next 5 Years

Nebraska

  • Median household income: $71,722 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $47,814 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $143,444

Nevada

  • Median household income: $71,646

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $47,764 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $143,292

New Hampshire

  • Median household income: $90,845 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $60,563 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $181,690 

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: Warren Buffett: 6 Best Pieces of Money Advice for the Middle Class

New Mexico

  • Median household income: $58,722 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $39,148 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $117,444 

New York

  • Median household income: $81,386

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $54,257

  • Highest end of middle class income: $162,772

North Carolina

  • Median household income: $66,186

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $44,124 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $132,372

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: 8 Places Where Houses Are Suddenly Major Bargains

Jenjira Indon / Getty Images/iStockphoto
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

Oklahoma

  • Median household income: $61,364   

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $40,909 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $122,728

Oregon

  • Median household income: $76,632 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $51,087 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $153,264 

Pennsylvania

  • Median household income: $73,170

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $48,780

  • Highest end of middle class income: $146,340

Be Aware: 7 Popular Clothing Brands the Middle Class Can’t Afford Anymore

Rhode Island

  • Median household income: $81,370

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $54,246

  • Highest end of middle class income: $162,740

South Carolina

  • Median household income: $63,623

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $42,415

  • Highest end of middle class income: $127,246

South Dakota

  • Median household income: $69,457 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $46,304 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $138,914

Tennessee

  • Median household income: $64,035 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $42,690

  • Highest end of middle class income: $128,070

Read Next: Net Worth for Baby Boomers: How To Tell Whether You’re Poor, Middle Class, Upper Middle Class or Rich

Texas

  • Median household income: $73,035 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $48,690

  • Highest end of middle class income: $146,070

Utah

  • Median household income: $86,833 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $57,888 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $173,666

Vermont

  • Median household income: $74,014 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $49,342 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $148,028

Virginia

  • Median household income: $87,249 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $58,165 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $174,498

Learn More: I’m a Real Estate Agent: These 5 Cities Are Becoming Unaffordable

Washington

  • Median household income: $90,325 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $60,216 

  • Highest end of middle class income: $180,650

©Shutterstock.com
©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
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
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 Feb. 27, 2024.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Much Money Is Needed To Be Considered Middle Class in Every State?

Advertisement