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

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benedek / Getty Images/iStockphoto

What is 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.

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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

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filo / iStock.com

Alaska

  • Median household income: $86,370

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

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

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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

©Zillow
©Zillow

California

  • Median household income: $91,905

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

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

©Shutterstock.com
©Shutterstock.com

Colorado

  • Median household income: $87,598

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

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

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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

Art Wager / iStock/Getty Images
Art Wager / iStock/Getty Images

Florida

  • Median household income: $67,917  

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

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

©Shutterstock.com
©Shutterstock.com

Georgia

  • Median household income: $71,355 

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

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

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Art Wager / Getty Images

Hawaii

  • Median household income: $94,814 

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

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

Charles Knowles / Shutterstock.com
Charles Knowles / Shutterstock.com

Idaho

  • Median household income: $70,214  

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

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

©Shutterstock.com
©Shutterstock.com

Illinois

  • Median household income: $78,433 

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

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

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Purdue9394 / Getty Images

Indiana

  • Median household income: $67,173 

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

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

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Davel5957 / Getty Images
Davel5957 / Getty Images

Iowa

  • Median household income: $70,571

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

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

Davel5957 / iStock.com
Davel5957 / iStock.com

Kansas

  • Median household income: $69,747 

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

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

Davel5957 / iStock.com
Davel5957 / iStock.com

Kentucky

  • Median household income: $60,183

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

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

Jorg Hackermann / Shutterstock.com
Jorg Hackermann / Shutterstock.com

Louisiana

  • Median household income: $57,852

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

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

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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maine

  • Median household income: $68,251 

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

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

Melpomenem / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Melpomenem / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Maryland

  • Median household income: $98,461 

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

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

©Shutterstock.com
©Shutterstock.com

Massachusetts

  • Median household income: $96,505 

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

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

©iStock.com
©iStock.com

Michigan

  • Median household income: $68,505 

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

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

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YinYang / iStock.com

Minnesota

  • Median household income: $84,313

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

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

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Mississippi

  • Median household income: $52,985

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

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

Josh_Weinstock / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Josh_Weinstock / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Missouri

  • Median household income: $65,920

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

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

Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com
Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com

Montana

  • Median household income: $66,341 

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

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

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benkrut / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Nebraska

  • Median household income: $71,722 

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

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

LPETTET / Getty Images
LPETTET / Getty Images

Nevada

  • Median household income: $71,646

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

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

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Hampshire

  • Median household income: $90,845 

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

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

hanusst / Getty Images/iStockphoto
hanusst / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New Jersey

  • Median household income: $97,126 

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $64,750

  • Highest end of middle class income: $194,252

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DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

New Mexico

  • Median household income: $58,722 

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

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

frankpeters / Getty Images/iStockphoto
frankpeters / Getty Images/iStockphoto

New York

  • Median household income: $81,386

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

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

©Shutterstock.com
©Shutterstock.com

North Carolina

  • Median household income: $66,186

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

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

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

North Dakota

  • Median household income: $73,959

  • Lowest end of middle class income: $49,306

  • Highest end of middle class income: $147,918

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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

©Shutterstock.com
©Shutterstock.com

Oklahoma

  • Median household income: $61,364   

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

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

©Zillow
©Zillow

Oregon

  • Median household income: $76,632 

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

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

Pgiam / iStock.com
Pgiam / iStock.com

Pennsylvania

  • Median household income: $73,170

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

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

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SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com
SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com

Rhode Island

  • Median household income: $81,370

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

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

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com
Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

South Carolina

  • Median household income: $63,623

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

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

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

South Dakota

  • Median household income: $69,457 

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

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

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com
Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com

Tennessee

  • Median household income: $64,035 

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

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

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©Shutterstock.com
©Shutterstock.com

Texas

  • Median household income: $73,035 

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

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

AndreyKrav / iStock.com
AndreyKrav / iStock.com

Utah

  • Median household income: $86,833 

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

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

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com

Vermont

  • Median household income: $74,014 

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

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

ferrantraite / Getty Images
ferrantraite / Getty Images

Virginia

  • Median household income: $87,249 

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

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

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SEASTOCK / Getty Images/iStockphoto

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.

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

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