20 Cities Where It's Easier To Jump From Lower to Upper-Middle Class
Trudging uphill to move up through America’s class systems can feel like an unbeatable battle. However, where you live plays a bigger role than you might think, because there are still some cities with rising wages, strong job markets and a reasonable cost of living. Who knew?
Though climbing the financial ladder is never easy as an uncertain economy, high housing costs and stagnant pay can keep even hard‑working people stuck in the middle (or lower) class.
The good news is that there are still places across the country where upward mobility isn’t such a big stretch that you pull a hamstring. MoneyLion has researched just which cities will have your paycheck covering more than the essentials as well as improve your long-term financial outlook.
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Key Findings
For perspective, the U.S. national median household income is $80,734 and the average home value is about $367,639. The total annual cost of living is also estimated to be $49,318 country-wide.
The estimated income range for lower to middle-class Americans falls between $53,823 and $89,704, whereas the income range for upper-middle-class Americans ranges from $125,586 to $161,468.
For the top 20 cities ranked in this study, Texas had six spots where it’s easier to jump from lower to middle class.
Four of the cities have median household incomes of an estimated $250,000 a year.
Nine of the cities on this list have over 80% of their households having an income of $100,000 or more.
Here, MoneyLion has listed the cities where it’s easiest to jump from lower to upper-middle class, highlighting the places where income growth and affordability come together. If you’re looking for the best cities to get ahead financially in 2026, this list can help you figure out where your next move could be.
Southlake, Texas
Median household income: $250,000
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 83.79%
Average home value: $1,301,365
Average monthly mortgage payment: $7,303
Total cost of living annually: $113,887
Livability score: 76
McLean, Virginia
Median household income: $250,000
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 82.12%
Average home value: $1,482,697
Average monthly mortgage payment: $8,321
Total cost of living annually: $127,840
Livability score: 81
Colleyville, Texas
Median household income: $218,328
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 81.58%
Average home value: $913,049
Average monthly mortgage payment: $5,124
Total cost of living annually: $87,566
Livability score: 79
Fulshear, Texas
Median household income: $187,035
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 82.79%
Average home value: $505,480
Average monthly mortgage payment: $2,837
Total cost of living annually: $61,163
Livability score: 71
Dix Hills, New York
Median household income: $227,944
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 80.46%
Average home value: $1,101,730
Average monthly mortgage payment: $6,183
Total cost of living annually: $103,734
Livability score: 65
Prosper, Texas
Median household income: $195,281
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 80.72%
Average home value: $784,350
Average monthly mortgage payment: $4,402
Total cost of living annually: $77,752
Livability score: 70
Westfield, New Jersey
Median household income: $232,629
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 78.80%
Average home value: $1,269,853
Average monthly mortgage payment: $7,126
Total cost of living annually: $114,469
Livability score: 87
Garden City, New York
Median household income: $244,152
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 77.20%
Average home value: $1,338,517
Average monthly mortgage payment: $7,512
Total cost of living annually: $123,495
Livability score: 84
Lexington, Massachusetts
Median household income: $238,444
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 78.87%
Average home value: $1,584,588
Average monthly mortgage payment: $8,893
Total cost of living annually: $133,666
Livability score: 92
Burke, Virginia
Median household income: $185,818
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 80.81%
Average home value: $736,010
Average monthly mortgage payment: $4,130
Total cost of living annually: $77,515
Livability score: 84
Potomac, Maryland
Median household income: $236,675
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 77.57%
Average home value: $1,390,212
Average monthly mortgage payment: $7,802
Total cost of living annually: $121,708
Livability score: 67
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Murphy, Texas
Median household income: $175,699
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 80.15%
Average home value: $571,960
Average monthly mortgage payment: $3,210
Total cost of living annually: $63,422
Livability score: 80
Danville, California
Median household income: $232,216
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 81.69%
Average home value: $1,908,521
Average monthly mortgage payment: $10,710
Total cost of living annually: $157,669
Livability score: 77
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Median household income: $208,211
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 79.79%
Average home value: $1,200,489
Average monthly mortgage payment: $6,737
Total cost of living annually: $110,476
Livability score: 88
Highland, Utah
Median household income: $186,075
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 79.62%
Average home value: $971,050
Average monthly mortgage payment: $5,449
Total cost of living annually: $89,045
Livability score: 76
Winchester, Massachusetts
Median household income: $230,198
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 76.34%
Average home value: $1,553,771
Average monthly mortgage payment: $8,720
Total cost of living annually: $131,433
Livability score: 91
Wellesley, Massachusetts
Median household income: $250,000
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 76.96%
Average home value: $2,023,292
Average monthly mortgage payment: $11,354
Total cost of living annually: $163,923
Livability score: 85
University Park, Texas
Median household income: $250,000
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 79.95%
Average home value: $2,420,171
Average monthly mortgage payment: $13,582
Total cost of living annually: $188,584
Livability score: 83
Leawood, Kansas
Median household income: $185,625
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 76.99%
Average home value: $777,578
Average monthly mortgage payment: $4,364
Total cost of living annually: $76,921
Livability score: 74
Lafayette, California
Median household income: $228,250
Percentage of households with income of $100,000 or more: 79.88%
Average home value: $1,934,581
Average monthly mortgage payment: $10,857
Total cost of living annually: $159,528
Livability score: 84
Methodology: MoneyLion identified cities with a total population of at least 20,000 from the U.S. Census 2024 ACS. and also found median household income and households with income of $100,000 or more. The cost of living was determined using Sperling's BestPlaces, the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, Zillow Home Value Index and the Federal Reserve Economic Data. The livability index was sourced from AreaVibes. To qualify for this study, the city had to have a median household income greater than the national average, the percentage of homes with household income $100,000 or more greater than the national average and the total cost of living less than the national average. All data is up to date as of May 11, 2026.
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This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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