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What It Takes to Be Middle Class in America – 2025 Study

Published on
Written by Jaclyn DeJohn, CFP®
Edited by Arturo Conde, CEPF®
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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 data from the U.S. Census Bureau. 

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 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 household at $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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. San Francisco, California
    • 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
  5. 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
  6. Seattle, Washington
    • 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
  7. 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
  8. Washington, District of Columbia
    • 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
  9. 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
  10. 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

  1. Detroit, Michigan
    • 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
  2. Cleveland, Ohio
    • 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    • 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
  7. 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
  8. Cincinnati, Ohio
    • 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
  9. 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
  10. New Orleans, Louisiana
    • 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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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 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. We 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.

Questions about this study? Contact us at press@smartasset.com

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