You’ve likely heard talk of a "K-shaped economy" and a shrinking middle class, but the actual dollar amount tied to that baseline varies wildly depending on where you look. While "middle class" often conjures images of a comfortable, suburban lifestyle, a recent SmartAsset study reveals just how broad the financial reality is from state to state.
Using 2024 median household income data from the US Census Bureau, the study applied the Pew Research Center’s definition of middle class: households earning between two-thirds (66.7%) and double (200%) of their state's median income.
Key Takeaways
The National Average: Across all 50 states, the baseline middle-class household earns between $53,935 and $161,806 annually.
The High End: In five states, you can make over $200,000 a year and still legally sit in the middle class.
The Low End: In seven states, a household income under $45,000 still qualifies you for the middle-class bracket.
The Extremes: Massachusetts holds the highest middle-class ceiling in the nation (topping out at $209,656), while Mississippi features the lowest (capping at $118,254).
Middle-Class Income Thresholds by State
Ranked from the highest middle-class ceiling (1) to the lowest (50).
| Rank | State | Median Household Income | Middle-Class Income Range |
| 1 | Massachusetts | $104,828 | $69,885 to $209,656 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $104,294 | $69,529 to $208,588 |
| 3 | Maryland | $102,905 | $68,603 to $205,810 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $100,745 | $67,163 to $201,490 |
| 5 | California | $100,149 | $66,766 to $200,298 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $99,782 | $66,521 to $199,564 |
| 7 | Washington | $99,389 | $66,259 to $198,778 |
| 8 | Colorado | $97,113 | $64,742 to $194,226 |
| 9 | Utah | $96,658 | $64,439 to $193,316 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $96,049 | $64,033 to $192,098 |
| 11 | Alaska | $95,665 | $63,777 to $191,330 |
| 12 | Virginia | $92,090 | $61,393 to $184,180 |
| 13 | Delaware | $87,534 | $58,356 to $175,068 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $87,117 | $58,078 to $174,234 |
| 15 | New York | $85,820 | $57,213 to $171,640 |
| 16 | Oregon | $85,220 | $56,813 to $170,440 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $83,504 | $55,669 to $167,008 |
| 18 | Illinois | $83,211 | $55,474 to $166,422 |
| 19 | Vermont | $82,730 | $55,153 to $165,460 |
| 20 | Arizona | $81,486 | $54,324 to $162,972 |
| 21 | Idaho | $81,166 | $54,111 to $162,332 |
| 22 | Nevada | $81,134 | $54,089 to $162,268 |
| 23 | Georgia | $79,991 | $53,327 to $159,982 |
| 24 | Texas | $79,721 | $53,147 to $159,442 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $77,871 | $51,914 to $155,742 |
| 26 | Florida | $77,735 | $51,823 to $155,470 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $77,545 | $51,697 to $155,090 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $77,488 | $51,659 to $154,976 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $76,881 | $51,254 to $153,762 |
| 30 | Maine | $76,442 | $50,961 to $152,884 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $76,376 | $50,917 to $152,752 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $75,532 | $50,355 to $151,064 |
| 33 | Kansas | $75,514 | $50,343 to $151,028 |
| 34 | Iowa | $75,501 | $50,334 to $151,002 |
| 35 | Montana | $75,340 | $50,227 to $150,680 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $73,958 | $49,305 to $147,916 |
| 37 | Michigan | $72,389 | $48,259 to $144,778 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $72,350 | $48,233 to $144,700 |
| 39 | Ohio | $72,212 | $48,141 to $144,424 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $71,997 | $47,998 to $143,994 |
| 41 | Indiana | $71,959 | $47,973 to $143,918 |
| 42 | Missouri | $71,589 | $47,726 to $143,178 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $67,816 | $45,211 to $135,632 |
| 44 | Alabama | $66,659 | $44,439 to $133,318 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $66,148 | $44,099 to $132,296 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $64,526 | $43,017 to $129,052 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $62,106 | $41,404 to $124,212 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $60,986 | $40,657 to $121,972 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $60,798 | $40,532 to $121,596 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $59,127 | $39,418 to $118,254 |
Methodology Note: Rankings were determined by comparing the upper tier of the middle-class income range across all 50 states, sorted from the highest threshold to the lowest. Data is based on SmartAsset's analysis of the US Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey estimates.