Here's how much money you need to make to be middle-class in every US state

On average across all 50 states, the US middle-class households earn between $53,935 and $161,806 annually.

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• Earnings vary widely across the US, and what constitutes the middle class does too.
• Massachusetts has the highest median household income in the US, while Mississippi has the lowest.
• The middle class is considered to earn between two-thirds and double the median income.

You've been hearing about the K-shaped economy and the shrinking middle class, but what does it actually mean to be in the middle class at all in the US today?

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

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.

Rankings were then determined by comparing the upper limit of middle-class income among states and ranking those earnings from highest to lowest.

In five states, households earning over $200,000 can still be considered middle class, while in seven, you can be counted in the category even with household incomes of under $45,000.

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.

Meanwhile, 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.

See how much money you really need to earn to be in the middle class in every US state.

ALABAMA

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

Median household income: $66,659

Rank: 44 out of 50

ALASKAJuneau, Alaska.

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

Median household income: $95,665

Rank: 11

ARIZONATempe, Arizona.

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

Median household income: $81,486

Rank: 20

ARKANSAS

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

Median household income: $62,106

Rank: 47

CALIFORNIA

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

Median household income: $100,149

Rank: 5

COLORADO

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

Median household income: $97,113

Rank: 8

CONNECTICUTNew Haven, Connecticut.

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

Median household income: $96,049

Rank: 10

DELAWAREDewey Beach, Delaware.

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

Median household income: $87,534

Rank: 13

FLORIDASt. Augustine, Florida.

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

Median household income: $77,735

Rank: 26

GEORGIA

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

Median household income: $79,991

Rank: 23

HAWAII

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

Median household income: $100,745

Rank: 4

IDAHOBoise, Idaho.

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

Median household income: $81,166

Rank: 21

ILLINOISChicago.

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

Median household income: $83,211

Rank: 18

INDIANA

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

Median household income: $71,959

Rank: 41

IOWADes Moines, Iowa.

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

Median household income: $75,501

Rank: 34

KANSAS

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

Median household income: $75,514

Rank: 33

KENTUCKY

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

Median household income: $64,526

Rank: 46

LOUISIANABaton Rouge, Louisiana.

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

Median household income: $60,986

Rank: 48

MAINE

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

Median household income: $76,442

Rank: 30

MARYLANDBaltimore.

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

Median household income: $102,905

Rank: 3

MASSACHUSETTSBoston.

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

Median household income: $104,828

Rank: 1 (the highest middle-class ceiling in the US)

MICHIGAN

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

Median household income: $72,389

Rank: 37

MINNESOTA

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

Median household income: $87,117

Rank: 14

MISSISSIPPIJackson, Mississippi.

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

Median household income: $59,127

Rank: 50 (the lowest middle-class ceiling in the US)

MISSOURI

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

Median household income: $71,589

Rank: 42

MONTANA

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

Median household income: $75,340

Rank: 35

NEBRASKA

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

Median household income: $76,376

Rank: 31

NEVADA

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

Median household income: $81,134

Rank: 22

NEW HAMPSHIREConcord, New Hampshire.

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

Median household income: $99,782

Rank: 6

NEW JERSEY

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

Median household income: $104,294

Rank: 2

NEW MEXICOAlbuquerque, New Mexico.

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

Median household income: $67,816

Rank: 43

NEW YORK

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

Median household income: $85,820

Rank: 15

NORTH CAROLINA

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

Median household income: $73,958

Rank: 36

NORTH DAKOTA

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

Median household income: $77,871

Rank: 25

OHIO

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

Median household income: $72,212

Rank: 39

OKLAHOMATulsa, Oklahoma.

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

Median household income: $66,148

Rank: 45

OREGON

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

Median household income: $85,220

Rank: 16

PENNSYLVANIAPittsburgh.

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

Median household income: $77,545

Rank: 27

RHODE ISLAND

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

Median household income: $83,504

Rank: 17

SOUTH CAROLINA

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

Median household income: $72,350

Rank: 38

SOUTH DAKOTA

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

Median household income: $76,881

Rank: 29

TENNESSEE

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

Median household income: $71,997

Rank: 40

TEXASHouston.

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

Median household income: $79,721

Rank: 24

UTAH

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

Median household income: $96,658

Rank: 9

VERMONT

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

Median household income: $82,730

Rank: 19

VIRGINIA

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

Median household income: $92,090

Rank: 12

WASHINGTON

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

Median household income: $99,389

Rank: 7

WEST VIRGINIAHarper's Ferry, West Virginia.

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

Median household income: $60,798

Rank: 49

WISCONSIN

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

Median household income: $77,488

Rank: 28

WYOMING

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

Median household income: $75,532

Rank: 32

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