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What It Takes to Be Middle Class in America – 2026 Study

Byline profile imageWritten by Jaclyn DeJohn, CFP®
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Often, the expectations that come with the term “middle class” include reaching home ownership, raising kids, the comfort of modest emergency funds and retirement savings, and the occasional splurge or vacation. In practice, a Pew Research definition sets the bounds of the middle class at two-thirds to two-times the median income. And as the median household income varies widely across the U.S. depending on the local job market, housing market, infrastructure and other factors, so does swing the bounds on what constitutes a middle class income in America. 

With this in mind, SmartAsset ranked U.S. states and 100 of the largest cities based on the upper bound of middle class income, including the full range of what’s considered middle class in each location.

Key Findings

  • You can earn over $200k and still be middle class in five states. Massachusetts has the highest threshold to break out of the middle class, with the upper bounds at $209,656 per year. New Jersey is close behind with an upper bounds of $208,588 on the middle class, followed by Maryland ($205,810), Hawaii ($201,490), and California ($200,298).
  • Mississippi has the lowest statewide middle class income range at $39k to $118k. While the Magnolia State has the income bounds to be considered middle class nationwide, West Virginia ($40,532 to $121,596); Louisiana ($40,532 to $121,972); Arkansas ($41,404 to $124,212); and Kentucky ($43,017 to $129,052) also have particularly low entry points.
  • These Californian cities have the most competitive middle class incomes. Three of the top five cities with the highest bounds on a middle class income are in California, including San Jose in the number one spot with a middle class income range of $98,817 to $296,452. Irvine ranks second with a range of $97,154, while San Francisco ranks fourth at $93,201 to $279,602.
  • A middle class household may earn less than $35,000 in these cities. Two Ohio cities have the lowest income range to be considered middle class, with a lower qualifying bound of $28,922 in Cleveland and $33,708 annually in Toledo. Buffalo, NY households also need to earn just shy of $35,000 to meet the minimum middle class threshold.

Top 10 States With the Highest Bound on Middle Class Income

  1. Massachusetts
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $209,656
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $69,885
    • Median household income: $104,828
  2. New Jersey
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $208,588
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $69,529
    • Median household income: $104,294
  3. Maryland
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $205,810
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $68,603
    • Median household income: $102,905
  4. Hawaii
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $201,490
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $67,163
    • Median household income: $100,745
  5. California
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $200,298
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $66,766
    • Median household income: $100,149
  6. New Hampshire
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $199,564
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $66,521
    • Median household income: $99,782
  7. Washington
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $198,778
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $66,259
    • Median household income: $99,389
  8. Colorado
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $194,226
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $64,742
    • Median household income: $97,113
  9. Utah
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $193,316
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $64,439
    • Median household income: $96,658
  10. Connecticut
  • Upper bound for middle class income: $192,098
  • Lower bound for middle class income: $64,033
  • Median household income: $96,049

Top 10 States With the Lowest Bound on MIddle Class Income

  1. Mississippi
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $118,254
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $39,418
    • Median household income: $59,127
  2. West Virginia
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $121,596
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $40,532
    • Median household income: $60,798
  3. Louisiana
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $121,972
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $40,657
    • Median household income: $60,986
  4. Arkansas
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $124,212
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $41,404
    • Median household income: $62,106
  5. Kentucky
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $129,052
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $43,017
    • Median household income: $64,526
  6. Oklahoma
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $132,296
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $44,099
    • Median household income: $66,148
  7. Alabama
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $133,318
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $44,439
    • Median household income: $66,659
  8. New Mexico
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $135,632
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $45,211
    • Median household income: $67,816
  9. Missouri
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $143,178
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $47,726
    • Median household income: $71,589
  10. Indiana
  • Upper bound for middle class income: $143,918
  • Lower bound for middle class income: $47,973
  • Median household income: $71,959

Top 10 Cities With the Highest Bound on Middle Class Income

  1. San Jose, California
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $296,452
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $98,817
    • Median household income: $148,226
  2. Irvine, California
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $291,462
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $97,154
    • Median household income: $145,731
  3. Frisco, Texas
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $290,888
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $96,963
    • Median household income: $145,444
  4. San Francisco, California
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $279,602
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $93,201
    • Median household income: $139,801
  5. Arlington, Virginia
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $267,164
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $89,055
    • Median household income: $133,582
  6. Gilbert, Arizona
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $249,936
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $83,312
    • Median household income: $124,968
  7. Seattle, Washington
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $237,490
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $79,163
    • Median household income: $118,745
  8. Plano, Texas
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $231,802
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $77,267
    • Median household income: $115,901
  9. Enterprise, Nevada
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $222,256
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $74,085
    • Median household income: $111,128
  10. San Diego, California
  • Upper bound for middle class income: $222,064
  • Lower bound for middle class income: $74,021
  • Median household income: $111,032

Top 10 Cities With the Lowest Bound on Middle Class Income

  1. Cleveland, Ohio
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $86,766
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $28,922
    • Median household income: $43,383
  2. Toledo, Ohio
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $101,124
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $33,708
    • Median household income: $50,562
  3. Buffalo, New York
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $104,422
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $34,807
    • Median household income: $52,211
  4. Memphis, Tennessee
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $105,358
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $35,119
    • Median household income: $52,679
  5. St. Louis, Missouri
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $106,748
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $35,583
    • Median household income: $53,374
  6. Milwaukee, Wisconsin
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $113,584
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $37,861
    • Median household income: $56,792
  7. Cincinnati, Ohio
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $113,820
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $37,940
    • Median household income: $56,910
  8. Hialeah, Florida
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $114,302
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $38,101
    • Median household income: $57,151
  9. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
    • Upper bound for middle class income: $115,516
    • Lower bound for middle class income: $38,505
    • Median household income: $57,758
  10. Newark, New Jersey
  • Upper bound for middle class income: $116,980
  • Lower bound for middle class income: $38,993
  • Median household income: $58,490

Data and Methodology

To determine the income limits to be in the middle class, SmartAsset analyzed U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 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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