- Business Insider analyzed what qualifies as middle class across the United States.
- Utah, Idaho, and Alaska had the highest percentages of middle-class residents.
- Meanwhile, New York, Massachusetts, and Montana had the highest percentages of lower-class residents.
These three graphs show the number of Americans in each state who are in the lower, middle, and upper classes, and the income required to qualify for each.
A Business Insider analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data for 2022, the most recent year for which data is available, found that 52.7% of Utah's population is in the middle class, while 52.7% of New Yorkers are in the middle class. It was found that only 42.3% of The Pew Research Center defines middle class as those earning between two-thirds and twice the median income in their state.
In Texas, middle-class residents earn between $48,200 and $144,600, and in Minnesota, middle-class residents earn between $54,900 and $164,700.
Americans often debate who is truly middle class. According to the Census Bureau, the national real median household income in 2022 was $74,580. Still, a state's median income can be as high as $101,000 and as low as $52,700, and a state's middle class may be lower or lower than that. Another upper class.
Even if you are mathematically middle class, you may not feel like you are middle class. Many people living in the lower middle class are especially concerned about having enough money to meet their daily needs while saving for retirement. Some families recently told BI that a six-figure household salary is not enough, especially when considering the costs associated with raising children.
On the other hand, even in households with six-figure incomes, many in the so-called Henry class (those not yet wealthy but with high incomes) have enough for daily expenses, but not enough savings for emergencies or job losses. I feel that. Many people splurge on things they think are important, such as experiences, but often feel constrained and postpone having children or buying a home until they are financially stable.
In BI's analysis, only three states had half of the households in the middle class: Utah, Idaho, and Alaska. In Delaware, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, nearly 50% were middle class.
Overall, the Midwest is relatively close to half, suggesting that these states have more households concentrated around the median and less income dispersion than more populous states such as California and New York. are doing.
Conversely, New York, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Washington, D.C. all have less than 44% of households in the middle class, meaning more residents fall into either the upper or lower class. Masu.
The South had the lowest median household income, with most in the mid to high $50,000s. In Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states such as New Jersey, Maryland and New Hampshire, most were in the low $80,000s to mid-$90,000s.
New York, California, Connecticut, and Virginia had the highest percentages of upper-class households, ranging from 19% to 21%. By this measure, most states were in the 17% to 18% range, but Alaska, Utah, and Idaho were all below 15%.
To be in the upper class in the top 10 states for median income, your household income must be at least $178,300, and in Washington, DC, you need to earn at least $202,000. In Mississippi, the minimum income required for the upper class was $105,400, while in West Virginia it was $108,600.
These southern states had a higher overall proportion of lower-class households than other states. New York ranked her highest at 36.8%, followed closely by Massachusetts, Montana and West Virginia. Hawaii was also particularly high at 36.2%.
In some western states, however, the rate was only 32.5%. Utah, Idaho, and Colorado were in the bottom five for this measure.
Do you feel like you're middle class?Have you moved to another state where you feel more financially secure? Tell our reporter why or why not? nsheid lower@businessinsider.com.
