Middle class can mean different things to different people. You can think of middle class as a certain lifestyle, a state of mind, or a strict measurement of wealth. And how you define middle class determines who falls into it.
Using annual incomes and the cost of living around the country as barometers, the experts at the Pew Research Center have concluded that 52% of Americans qualify as middle class—but that portion can vary widely depending where you live.
According to a Pew study released last fall, the median income of middle-class American households is $74,015, based on Census data from 2016, the latest available. (Pew defines middle class as two-thirds to twice the U.S. median household income, adjusted for household size.)
As you can see in the map below, that benchmark income tops $84,000 in Rhode Island and Maryland and approaches $75,000 in Florida.
So where do all these middle-class folks live? Pew drilled down by community as well, and found that the 10 highest concentrations of middle-class Americans reside in the Midwest and Northeast. In Sheboygan, Wisc., the middle class makes up about 65% of the population. In Laredo, Texas, on the other hand, only 39% percent of residents qualify.
Image Credit: Deposit Photos.
Middle class calculator
That roughly half of American households fall into the middle class is similar to what Pew found in 2011, the last time they did this analysis. But over time the middle class has been shrinking: In 1971, 61% of adults lived in middle-class households.
And during that time both upper and lower-income segments of the population have been growing at the expense of the middle class. Plus, the top group has seen bigger income gains, widening the income gap.
Of course, the median income tells you only so much. You also may wonder how much you have to earn to qualify as middle class in the first place. In the table below, you’ll find the minimum and maximum incomes for middle class households by size of your family, from a singer person to a family of four.
The amounts vary because Pew adjusts the data to reflect the cost of living around the country. So, for example, in an area where livings cost are lower, you’ll need a lower income to enter the middle class.
Keep in mind the this is based on 2016 income, but since inflation has been modest in recent years the exact number probably won’t have changed much.
Finally, if you want to check out whether you qualify as middle class in your hometown, Pew’s income calculator will let you drill down by metropolitan area.
Image Credit: Considerable.
U.S. average
Let’s start with the U.S. average for middle class income:
Single: $26,093 – $78,280
Couple: $36,902 – $110,705
Family of four: $52,187 – $156,560
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
1. Alabama
Single: $22.597 – $67,791
Couple: $31,957 – $95,870
Family of four: $45,194 – $135,581
Image Credit: James Deitsch.
2. Alaska
Single: $27,502 – $82,507
Couple: $38,894 – $116,683
Family of four: $55,005 – $165,015
Image Credit: julof90.
3. Arizona
Single: $25,024 – $75,071
Couple: $35,389 – $106,166
Family of four: $50,047 – $150,141
Image Credit: reisegraf.
4. Arkansas
Single: $22,675 – $68,025
Couple: $32,067 – $96,202
Family of four: $45,350 – $136,051
Image Credit: Rdlamkin.
5. California
Single: $29,851 – $89,552
Couple: $42,215 – $126,646
Family of four: $59,702 – $179,105
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
6. Colorado
Single: $26,876 – $80,629
Couple: $38,009 – $114,026
Family of four: $53,752 – $161,257
Image Credit: ” Adventure_Photo.
7. Connecticut
Single: $28,364 – $85,091
Couple: $40,112 – $120,336
Family of four: $56,727 – $170,181
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
8. Delaware
Single: $26,146 – $78,437
Couple: $36,975 – $110,926
Family of four: $52,291 – $156,873
Image Credit: Pixabay.com.
9. District of Columbia
Single: $30,242 – $90,727
Couple: $42,769 – $128,307
Family of four: $60,484 – $181,453
Image Credit: Frontpage/shutterstock.
10. Florida
Single: $26,015 – $78,045
Couple: $36,791 – $110,373
Family of four: $52,030 – $156,091
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
11. Georgia
Single: $24,032 – $72,096
Couple: $33,986 – $101,959
Family of four: $48,064 – $144,192
Image Credit: iStock.
12. Hawaii
Single: $30,985 – $92,684
Couple: $43,692 – 131,075
Family of four: $61,789 – $185,367
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
13. Idaho
Single: $24,267 – $72,801
Couple: $34,318 – $102,955
Family of four: $48,534 – $145,601
Image Credit: shanecotee.
14. Illinois
Single: $25,806 – $77,419
Couple: $36,496 – $109,487
Family of four: $51,613 – $154,838
Image Credit: ibsky.
15. Indiana
Single: $23,562 – $70687
Couple: $33,322 – $99,966
Family of four: $47,125 – $141,374
Image Credit: f11photo.
16. Iowa
Single: $23,536 – $70,609
Couple: $33,285 – $99,856
Family of four: $47,072 – $141,217
Image Credit: JoeChristensen.
17. Kansas
Single: $23,615 – $70,844
Couple: $33,396 – $100,188
Family of four: $47,229 – $141,687
Image Credit: Getty.
18. Kentucky
Single: $22,910 – $68,730
Couple: $32,400 – $97,199
Family of four: $45,820 – $137,460
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
19. Louisiana
Single: $23,588 – $70,765
Couple: $33,359 – $100,077
Family of four: $47,177 – $141,530
Image Credit: Photoservice/istockphoto.
20. Maine
Single: $25,676 – $77,028
Couple: $36,311 – $108,934
Family of four: $51,352 – $154,055
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
21. Maryland
Single: $28,572 – $85,717
Couple: $40,407 – $121,222
Family of four: $57,144 – $171,433
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
22. Massachusetts
Single: $28,129 – $84,386
Couple: $39,780 – $119,340
Family of four: $56,257 – $168,772
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr/istockphoto.
23. Michigan
Single: $24,345 – $73,035
Couple: $34,429 – $103,288
Family of four: $48,690 – $146,071
Image Credit: haveseen.
24. Minnesota
Single: $25,441 – $76,323
Couple: $35,979 – $107,937
Family of four: $50,882 – $152,646
Image Credit: Scruggelgreen.
25. Mississippi
Single: $22,545 – $67,634
Couple: $31,883 – $95,649
Family of four: $45,089 – $135,268
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
26. Missouri
Single: $23,354 – $70,061
Couple: $33,027 – $99,081
Family of four: $46,707 – $140,121
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
27. Montana
Single: $24,554 – $73,662
Couple: $34,724 – $104,173
Family of four: $49,108 – $147,323
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
28. Nebraska
Single: $23,615 – $70,844
Couple: $33,396 – $100,188
Family of four: $47,229 – $141,687
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
29. Nevada
Single: $25,415 – $76,245
Couple: $35,942 – $107,827
Family of four: $50,830 – $152,490
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
30. New Hampshire
Single: $27,633 – $82,899
Couple: $39,079 – $117,236
Family of four: $55,266 – $165,797
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr.
31. New Jersey
Single: $29,538 – $88,613
Couple: $41,773 – $125,318
Family of four: $59,075 – $177,226
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
32. New Mexico
Single: $24,423 – $73,270
Couple: $34,540 – $103,620
Family of four: $48,847 – $146,540
Image Credit: Davel5957.
33. New York
Single: $30,164 – $90,492
Couple: $42,658 – $127,975
Family of four: $60,328 – $180,984
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
34. North Carolina
Single: $23,719 – $71,157
Couple: $33,544 – $100,631
Family of four: $47,438 – $142,313
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
35. North Dakota
Single: $23,875 – $71,626
Couple: $33,765 – $101,295
Family of four: $47,751 – $143,253
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
36. Ohio
Single: $23,301 – $69,904
Couple: $32,953 – $98,859
Family of four: $46,603 – $139,808
Image Credit: Pixabay.com.
37. Oklahoma
Single: $23,223 – $69,669
Couple: $32,842 – $98,527
Family of four: $46,446 – $139,339
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
38. Oregon
Single: $26,041 – $78,124
Couple: $36,828 – $110,483
Family of four: $52,082 – $156,247
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
39. Pennsylvania
Single: $25,676 – $77,028
Couple: $36,311 – $108,934
Family of four: $51,352 – $154,055
Image Credit: weaver1234.
40. Rhode Island
Single: $25,989 – $77,967
Couple: $36,754 – $110,262
Family of four: $51,978 – $155,934
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
41. South Carolina
Single: $23,562 – $70,687
Couple: $33,322 – $99,966
Family of four: $47,125 – $141,374
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
42. South Dakota
Single: $23,040 – $69,121
Couple: $32,584 – $97,752
Family of four: $46,081 – $138,243
Image Credit: iStock.
43. Tennessee
Single: $23,536 – $70,609
Couple: $33,285 – $99,856
Family of four: $47,072 – $141,217
Image Credit: Swarmcatcher.
44. Texas
Single: $26,284 – $75,853
Couple: $35,758 – $107,273
Family of four: $50,569 – $151,707
Image Credit: Hot Furnace .
45. Utah
Single: $25,389 – $76,167
Couple: $35,905 – $107,716
Family of four: $50,778 – $152,333
Image Credit: AndreyKrav.
46.
Single: $26,511 – $79,533
Couple: $37,492 – $112,476
Family of four: $53,022 – $159,065
Image Credit: ” DonLand”.
47. Virginia
Single: $26,694 – $80,081
Couple: $37,750 – $113,251
Family of four: $53,387 – $160,161
Image Credit: DenisTangneyJr.
48. Washington
Single: $27,529 – $82,586
Couple: $38,931 – $116,794
Family of four: $55,057 – $165,171
Image Credit: 4nadia.
49. West Virginia
Single: $22,858 – $68,573
Couple: $32,326 – $96,977
Family of four: $45,716 – $137,147
Image Credit: DepositPhotos.com.
50. Wisconsin
Single: $24,215 – $72,644
Couple: $34,345 – $102,734
Family of four: $48,429 – $145,288
Image Credit: FierceAbin.
51. Wyoming
Single: $25,232 – $75,697
Couple: $35,684 – $107,052
Family of four: $50,465 – $151,394
Notes: Range of household income needed to qualify for middle-income status, by family size, in 2016 dollars. Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2016 American Community Survey (IPUMS)
This article originally appeared on Considerable.com and was syndicated by MediaFeed.org.
Image Credit: AnujSahaiPhotography.
