In the US, the income range for the middle class can be different depending on location. In some states, having an annual income range over $150,000 can still classify you as middle class.
What is the Middle Class in the US?
So, who are the middle class in the US? GOBankingRates used 2022 data from the US Census Bureau to understand the income range needed to qualify as middle class in all 50 states. They define “middle class” as households with an annual income between two-thirds and double a state’s median income.
According to GOBankingRates, a middle-class annual income in Maryland ranges from $65,641 to $196,922. In New Jersey, it ranges from $64,751 to $194,252.
Naturally, the middle-class income range is higher in Maryland than in New Jersey since Maryland had the highest median household income in 2022, according to the US Census Bureau.
| State | Middle-Class Income Range (USD) |
| Alabama | $39,739 – $119,218 |
| Alaska | $57,580 – $172,740 |
| Arizona | $48,387 – $145,162 |
| Arkansas | $37,557 – $112,670 |
| California | $61,270 – $183,810 |
| Colorado | $58,399 – $175,196 |
| Connecticut | $60,142 – $180,426 |
| Delaware | $52,883 – $158,650 |
| Florida | $45,278 – $135,834 |
| Georgia | $47,570 – $142,710 |
| Hawaii | $63,209 – $189,628 |
| Idaho | $46,809 – $140,428 |
| Illinois | $52,289 – $156,866 |
| Indiana | $44,782 – $134,346 |
| Iowa | $47,047 – $141,142 |
| Kansas | $46,498 – $139,494 |
| Kentucky | $40,122 – $120,366 |
| Louisiana | $38,568 – $115,704 |
| Maine | $45,501 – $136,502 |
| Maryland | $65,641 – $196,922 |
| Massachusetts | $64,337 – $193,010 |
| Michigan | $45,670 – $137,010 |
| Minnesota | $56,209 – $168,626 |
| Mississippi | $35,323 – $105,970 |
| Missouri | $43,947 – $131,840 |
| Montana | $44,227 – $132,682 |
| Nebraska | $47,815 – $143,444 |
| Nevada | $47,764 – $143,292 |
| New Hampshire | $60,563 – $181,690 |
| New Jersey | $64,751 – $194,252 |
| New Mexico | $39,148 – $117,444 |
| New York | $54,257 – $162,772 |
| North Carolina | $44,124 – $132,372 |
| North Dakota | $49,306 – $147,918 |
| Ohio | $44,660 – $133,980 |
| Oklahoma | $40,909 – $122,728 |
| Oregon | $51,088 – $153,264 |
| Pennsylvania | $48,780 – $146,340 |
| Rhode Island | $54,247 – $162,740 |
| South Carolina | $42,415 – $127,246 |
| South Dakota | $46,305 – $138,914 |
| Tennessee | $42,690 – $128,070 |
| Texas | $48,690 – $146,070 |
| Utah | $57,889 – $173,666 |
| Vermont | $49,343 – $148,028 |
| Virginia | $58,166 – $174,498 |
| Washington | $60,217 – $180,650 |
| West Virginia | $36,811 – $110,434 |
| Wisconsin | $48,305 – $144,916 |
| Wyoming | $48,330 – $144,990 |
Who are the Middle Class in the US?
According to Brad Klontz, a financial planner, being “middle class” means more than having a specific income level. Klontz said that our financial well-being is not set in stone but subjective and influenced by the people we compare ourselves to.
That is why you might not feel “middle class” even if your income fits within a certain range, especially when you compare yourself to others flaunting a wealthier lifestyle on social media. Klontz added that social media can make this feeling worse because we often see others appearing happier with more, which can make us feel sad even if we are not.
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