Much has been made of America’s vanishing middle class, and it’s true that the divide between the rich and the poor has become increasingly stark over the past several decades. In fact, according to the Pew Research Center, America’s wealth gap has more than doubled from 1989 to 2016. More recently, the COVID crisis further deepened the divide, crushing some under the strain of sudden unemployment, while others paid down debts.
This sudden change in personal finances has led many families to wonder where they stand compared to their peers. The short answer from the Pew Research Center is that in order to be considered middle class, you must make between two-thirds (67 percent) and double (200 percent) the U.S. median household income. However, other factors—including your state and the size of your household—can greatly influence your purchasing power, and whether you meet this particular benchmark.
According to the personal finance site GOBankingRates, which analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2018 American Community Survey, what it takes to be considered middle class in Alaska is a literal and figuratively a continent away from what it takes in Massachusetts. Read on to find out how much money qualifies a family of four as middle class in your hme state, and see how your own finances stack up.
RELATED: This Is How Much Money Makes You Rich in Your State, According to Data.
Alabama
iStockMiddle-class income range: $52,438.89 to $156,534
Alaska
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $69,665.26 to $207,956
Arizona
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $53,119.61 to $158,566
Arkansas
iStockMiddle-class income range: $46,507.38 to $138,828
California
Jon Bilous / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $62,647.68 to $187,008
RELATED: This Is How Much Money People Your Age Make on Average, Data Shows.
Colorado
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $67,509.20 to $201,520
Connecticut
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $80,839.52 to $241,312
Delaware
iStockMiddle-class income range: $67,502.50 to $201,500
Florida
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $51,789.66 to $154,596
RELATED: This Is How Much Money People Your Age Have on Average, Data Shows.
Georgia
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $53,740.03 to $160,418
Hawaii
iStockMiddle-class income range: $69,842.14 to $208,484
Idaho
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $50,060.39 to $149,434
Illinois
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $65,412.77 to $195,262
Indiana
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $55,750.03 to $166,418
Iowa
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $61,254.08 to $182,848
Kansas
iStockMiddle-class income range: $58,316.13 to $174,078
Kentucky
iStockMiddle-class income range: $52,059 to $155,400
Louisiana
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $53,242.89 to $158,934
Maine
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $60,412.56 to $180,336
Maryland
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $80,429.48 to $240,088
Massachusetts
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $83,974.45 to $250,670
Michigan
Shutterstock / Paul Brady PhotographyMiddle-class income range: $60,088.28 to $179,368
Minnesota
iStockMiddle-class income range: $72,837.71 to $217,426
Mississippi
iStockMiddle-class income range: $44,646.79 to $133,274
Missouri
iStockMiddle-class income range: $56,973.45 to $170,070
Montana
silky / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $57,155.02 to $170,612
Nebraska
iStockMiddle-class income range: $60,474.87 to $180,522
Nevada
iStockMiddle-class income range: $52,754.46 to $157,476
New Hampshire
Kenneth Keifer / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $77,816.48 to $232,288
New Mexico
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $43,667.92 to $130,352
New York
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $67,252.59 to $200,754
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North Carolina
iStockMiddle-class income range: $54,094.46 to $161,476
North Dakota
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $67,521.93 to $201,558
Ohio
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $58,955.98 to $175,988
Oklahoma
Von Sean Pavone / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $49,231.60 to $146,960
Oregon
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $59,710.40 to $178,240
Pennsylvania
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $64,841.26 to $193,556
Rhode Island
iStockMiddle-class income range: $69,286.71 to $206,826
South Carolina
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $51,590 to $154,000
South Dakota
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $57,928.87 to $172,922
Tennessee
iStockMiddle-class income range: $51,220.83 to $152,898
Texas
iStockMiddle-class income range: $54,994.94 to $164,164
Utah
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $57,409.62 to $171,372
Vermont
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $63,166.26 to $188,556
Virginia
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $70,116.84 to $209,304
Washington
iStockMiddle-class income range: $68,185.23 to $203,538
West Virginia
ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $49,760.90 to $148,540
Wisconsin
iStockMiddle-class income range: $64,167.91 to $191,546
Wyoming
Oomka / ShutterstockMiddle-class income range: $61,159.61 to $182,566
RELATED: This Is How Much Money You Need to Retire in Your State, According to Data.
