What does it take to be middle class in 2025? New study explains
(NEXSTAR) — With costs rising these days, it can be hard to tell whether you still rank in the middle class. Depending on where you live, what it takes to be a middle-earner can vary — greatly.
A new analysis by personal finance site SmartAsset may, however, help shed some light on where you rank.
To be considered middle class, SmartAsset used Pew Research’s definition: You have to earn two-thirds to double the median household income within a certain area.
Based on this definition, and using the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, SmartAsset was able to calculate the middle class income ranges for the nation, all 50 states and the 100 largest cities.
With a median income of $74,225, it takes between roughly $49,500 and $148,500 to be middle class nationally, SmartAsset found. That’s up from $49,271 to $147,828 last year.
That range does, of course, vary by city and state.
It takes the greatest income to reach the middle class in Massachusetts, which has replaced New Jersey as the priciest place for mid-level living. To be among Massachusetts’ middle class, you need an income of more than $66,565.
That may be high, but you’ll need to earn even more in 12 of the nation’s largest cities.
A median income of more than $140,000 — nearly enough to put you in the upper class, nationally — makes Arlington, Virginia, the most expensive city for the middle class. According to SmartAsset, it takes a household income of more than $93,400 to rank outside the city’s lower-level earners.
Too expensive for your household? You may prefer a city in the Midwest.
Detroit came in at the bottom end of SmartAsset’s list. There, a household needs only to earn more than $25,300 to be considered middle class. Cleveland, Ohio, wasn’t far behind at $26,000.
The interactive table below shows the nation’s largest cities, as well as the household income range needed to rank among each city’s middle class, according to SmartAsset’s analysis:
When looking at statewide stats, however, a household income of $26,000 isn't enough to be among the middle earners in Michigan or Ohio — or any state, for that matter. You'd need at least another $10,000 in income to be middle class in Mississippi, the most affordable state.
In only three other states would a household income below $40,000 qualify for middle class status: Arkansas, Louisiana, and West Virginia.
The interactive map below shows the middle class range for each state as calculated by SmartAsset.
You can find the full report here.
Continuing inflation and the threat of additional tariffs, meanwhile, have seemingly caused uncertainty for consumers. The University of Michigan's latest consumer sentiment index plunged by roughly 10% over the past month.
On Monday, President Donald Trump warned that tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico are starting in March. While he has claimed the import taxes would ultimately generate revenues to reduce the federal budget deficit and create new jobs for workers, most economists say the cost of the taxes could largely be borne by consumers, retailers and manufacturers.
Slightly more Americans applied for jobless benefits earlier this week, but layoffs remained in the same recently healthy range. Meanwhile, Federal Reserve officials at a meeting last month pointed to rising risks that inflation could worsen, a key reason they kept their benchmark interest rate unchanged.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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