03/28/2026
What it takes to be middle class varies widely by state, according to a Visual Capitalist analysis of SmartAsset, Census Bureau, and Pew Research Center data, which defines middle class as households earning between two-thirds and twice the median income. Massachusetts tops the list at $69,900, followed by New Jersey at $69,500 and Maryland at $68,600, all anchored by expensive metros. Yet a middle-class income in those states would only afford a home priced between $315,000 and $320,000, well below their median listing prices. At the other end, Mississippi requires just $39,400, where homes can be found for $150,000 to $200,000.
