How Much You Need To Earn To Be Upper-Middle Class in Every State
For those hoping to achieve the comforts of an upper-middle class income level, it obviously helps to know the salary required to live in that income bracket. However, each state has its own unique cost of living, meaning what allows you to be upper-middle class in, say, Indiana, isn’t enough for a pricier state like Hawaii or Massachusetts.
That’s why MoneyLion set itself to the task of determining how much you need to earn to be upper-middle class in every state. To accomplish this, MoneyLion analyzed each state’s median household income levels. The middle-class income level was then broken into three brackets (lower, middle and upper), and MoneyLion was able to determine the financial requirements to break into the upper-middle class in every state in America.
Also See: Income Needed To Crack the Top 10% in Every State
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Key Findings
Mississippi is the easiest state to enter into the upper-middle class: The Magnolia State requires an annual income of only $91,975 to enter into its upper-middle class – that’s the lowest amount needed for any state in the nation.
Massachusetts, however, is the hardest: The Bay State necessitates a minimum salary of $163,066 in order to be considered upper-middle class. That’s the highest minimum income needed in America.
Five states have an upper-middle class maximum income range over $200,000: The upper-middle class of Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Hawaii and California each has a maximum upper-middle class income range that reaches beyond $200,000.
1. Massachusetts
Upper-middle class income range: $163,066 to $209,656
Lowest income to be middle class: $69,885
Median household income: $104,828
2. New Jersey
Upper-middle class income range: $162,235 to $208,588
Lowest income to be middle class: $69,529
Median household income: $104,294
3. Maryland
Upper-middle class income range: $160,074 to $205,810
Lowest income to be middle class: $68,603
Median household income: $102,905
4. Hawaii
Upper-middle class income range: $156,714 to $201,490
Lowest income to be middle class: $67,163
Median household income: $100,745
5. California
Upper-middle class income range: $155,787 to $200,298
Lowest income to be middle class: $66,766
Median household income: $100,149
6. New Hampshire
Upper-middle class income range: $155,216 to $199,564
Lowest income to be middle class: $66,521
Median household income: $99,782
7. Washington
Upper-middle class income range: $154,605 to $198,778
Lowest income to be middle class: $66,259
Median household income: $99,389
8. Colorado
Upper-middle class income range: $151,065 to $194,226
Lowest income to be middle class: $64,742
Median household income: $97,113
9. Utah
Upper-middle class income range: $150,357 to $193,316
Lowest income to be middle class: $64,439
Median household income: $96,658
10. Connecticut
Upper-middle class income range: $149,410 to $192,098
Lowest income to be middle class: $64,033
Median household income: $96,049
11. Alaska
Upper-middle class income range: $148,812 to $191,330
Lowest income to be middle class: $63,777
Median household income: $95,665
12. Virginia
Upper-middle class income range: $143,251 to $184,180
Lowest income to be middle class: $61,393
Median household income: $92,090
13. Delaware
Upper-middle class income range: $136,164 to $175,068
Lowest income to be middle class: $58,356
Median household income: $87,534
14. Minnesota
Upper-middle class income range: $135,515 to $174,234
Lowest income to be middle class: $58,078
Median household income: $87,117
15. New York
Upper-middle class income range: $133,498 to $171,640
Lowest income to be middle class: $57,213
Median household income: $85,820
16. Oregon
Upper-middle class income range: $132,564 to $170,440
Lowest income to be middle class: $56,813
Median household income: $85,220
17. Rhode Island
Upper-middle class income range: $129,895 to $167,008
Lowest income to be middle class: $55,669
Median household income: $83,504
18. Illinois
Upper-middle class income range: $129,439 to $166,422
Lowest income to be middle class: $55,474
Median household income: $83,211
19. Vermont
Upper-middle class income range: $128,691 to $165,460
Lowest income to be middle class: $55,153
Median household income: $82,730
20. Arizona
Upper-middle class income range: $126,756 to $162,972
Lowest income to be middle class: $54,324
Median household income: $81,486
21. Idaho
Upper-middle class income range: $126,258 to $162,332
Lowest income to be middle class: $54,111
Median household income: $81,166
22. Nevada
Upper-middle class income range: $126,208 to $162,268
Lowest income to be middle class: $54,089
Median household income: $81,134
23. Georgia
Upper-middle class income range: $124,430 to $159,982
Lowest income to be middle class: $53,327
Median household income: $79,991
24. Texas
Upper-middle class income range: $124,010 to $159,442
Lowest income to be middle class: $53,147
Median household income: $79,721
25. North Dakota
Upper-middle class income range: $121,133 to $155,742
Lowest income to be middle class: $51,914
Median household income: $77,871
26. Florida
Upper-middle class income range: $120,921 to $155,470
Lowest income to be middle class: $51,823
Median household income: $77,735
27. Pennsylvania
Upper-middle class income range: $120,626 to $155,090
Lowest income to be middle class: $51,697
Median household income: $77,545
28. Wisconsin
Upper-middle class income range: $120,537 to $154,976
Lowest income to be middle class: $51,659
Median household income: $77,488
29. South Dakota
Upper-middle class income range: $119,593 to $153,762
Lowest income to be middle class: $51,254
Median household income: $76,881
30. Maine
Upper-middle class income range: $118,910 to $152,884
Lowest income to be middle class: $50,961
Median household income: $76,442
31. Nebraska
Upper-middle class income range: $118,807 to $152,752
Lowest income to be middle class: $50,917
Median household income: $76,376
32. Wyoming
Upper-middle class income range: $117,494 to $151,064
Lowest income to be middle class: $50,355
Median household income: $75,532
33. Kansas
Upper-middle class income range: $117,466 to $151,028
Lowest income to be middle class: $50,343
Median household income: $75,514
34. Iowa
Upper-middle class income range: $117,446 to $151,002
Lowest income to be middle class: $50,334
Median household income: $75,501
35. Montana
Upper-middle class income range: $117,196 to $150,680
Lowest income to be middle class: $50,227
Median household income: $75,340
36. North Carolina
Upper-middle class income range: $115,046 to $147,916
Lowest income to be middle class: $49,305
Median household income: $73,958
37. Michigan
Upper-middle class income range: $112,605 to $114,778
Lowest income to be middle class: $48,259
Median household income: $72,389
38. South Carolina
Upper-middle class income range: $112,544 to $144,700
Lowest income to be middle class: $48,233
Median household income: $72,350
39. Ohio
Upper-middle class income range: $112,330 to $144,424
Lowest income to be middle class: $48,141
Median household income: $72,212
40. Tennessee
Upper-middle class income range: $111,995 to $143,994
Lowest income to be middle class: $47,998
Median household income: $71,997
41. Indiana
Upper-middle class income range: $111,936 to $143,918
Lowest income to be middle class: $47,973
Median household income: $71,959
42. Missouri
Upper-middle class income range: $111,361 to $143,178
Lowest income to be middle class: $47,726
Median household income: $71,589
43. New Mexico
Upper-middle class income range: $105,492 to $135,632
Lowest income to be middle class: $45,211
Median household income: $67,816
44. Alabama
Upper-middle class income range: $103,692 to $133,318
Lowest income to be middle class: $44,439
Median household income: $66,659
45. Oklahoma
Upper-middle class income range: $102,897 to $132,296
Lowest income to be middle class: $44,099
Median household income: $66,148
46. Kentucky
Upper-middle class income range: $100,374 to $129,052
Lowest income to be middle class: $43,017
Median household income: $64,526
47. Arkansas
Upper-middle class income range: $96,609 to $124,212
Lowest income to be middle class: $41,404
Median household income: $62,106
48. Louisiana
Upper-middle class income range: $94,867 to $121,972
Lowest income to be middle class: $40,657
Median household income: $60,986
49. West Virginia
Upper-middle class income range: $94,575 to $121,596
Lowest income to be middle class: $40,532
Median household income: $60,798
50. Mississippi
Upper-middle class income range: $91,975 to $118,254
Lowest income to be middle class: $39,418
Median household income: $59,127
Methodology: For this study, MoneyLion analyzed each state to find the line where upper-middle class begins. Median household income was sourced from the 2024 1-year U.S. Census American Community Survey. Using the definition of middle class from Pew Research Center that states that the middle class income range is two-thirds to double the median household income, MoneyLion calculated the entire middle class income using the median household income in each state. The middle class income range was separated into equal thirds to find the lower, middle and upper-middle class income range. Stats are ranked from most income needed to least needed to be upper-middle class. All data is up to date as of Jan. 20, 2026.
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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