Across the United States, what qualifies as “middle class” varies widely depending on where you live.
This map, via Visual Capitalist’s Bruno Venditti, breaks down the median household income for each U.S. state, revealing sharp contrasts in earning power. It provides a snapshot of where families may feel more or less financially secure based on local income benchmarks.
The data for this visualization comes from SmartAsset.
Editor’s note: This map uses median household income as a simple indicator of the middle class in each state. True middle class status typically spans a range of incomes.
Top Earners Cluster in the Northeast
Maryland, Washington D.C., and Massachusetts lead the nation with household incomes at or above $90,000. High concentrations of federal jobs, tech firms, and elite educational institutions contribute to these numbers. According to Pew Research Center, these regions also report strong access to health care and education, reinforcing higher cost-of-living dynamics.
Rank | State | Median Household Income |
---|---|---|
1 | Maryland | $90,203 |
2 | District Of Columbia | $90,088 |
3 | Massachusetts | $89,645 |
4 | New Jersey | $89,296 |
5 | New Hampshire | $88,465 |
6 | Washington | $87,820 |
7 | California | $85,388 |
8 | Utah | $84,131 |
9 | Virginia | $83,848 |
10 | Connecticut | $83,771 |
11 | Colorado | $82,067 |
12 | Alaska | $81,818 |
13 | Minnesota | $80,774 |
14 | Oregon | $77,305 |
15 | Illinois | $76,384 |
16 | Hawaii | $76,285 |
17 | New York | $74,314 |
18 | Georgia | $74,063 |
19 | Rhode Island | $74,008 |
20 | Wisconsin | $73,014 |
21 | Nevada | $72,618 |
22 | Pennsylvania | $71,412 |
23 | Arizona | $71,033 |
24 | Michigan | $69,965 |
25 | North Dakota | $69,478 |
26 | Texas | $69,430 |
27 | North Carolina | $67,671 |
28 | Delaware | $67,016 |
29 | Iowa | $66,122 |
30 | Missouri | $65,795 |
31 | South Dakota | $64,956 |
32 | Indiana | $64,806 |
33 | Florida | $64,666 |
34 | Nebraska | $64,573 |
35 | Kansas | $64,362 |
36 | South Carolina | $63,718 |
37 | Ohio | $61,891 |
38 | Maine | $61,489 |
39 | Montana | $59,955 |
40 | Tennessee | $59,862 |
41 | Oklahoma | $59,071 |
42 | Wyoming | $58,845 |
43 | Louisiana | $58,833 |
44 | Vermont | $58,654 |
45 | Idaho | $58,208 |
46 | Alabama | $55,771 |
47 | Kentucky | $54,942 |
48 | New Mexico | $54,076 |
49 | Arkansas | $52,664 |
50 | West Virginia | $49,170 |
51 | Mississippi | $47,519 |
The South Continues to Lag Behind
Southern states like Mississippi, and Alabama have the lowest median household incomes, under $54,000. Economic mobility in these regions is often hindered by lower investment in public infrastructure and education. As Brookings notes, many Southern states also experience higher poverty rates and limited access to high-paying industries.
States with Growing Incomes
Several states in the West and Midwest—including Oregon, and Utah—are emerging with stronger income levels, typically in the $70,000-$80,000 range.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out U.S. Workers Earning Under $17/Hour by State on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
Tyler Durden
Sat, 07/05/2025 – 08:45
Click this link for the original source of this article.
Author: Tyler Durden
This content is courtesy of, and owned and copyrighted by, https://zerohedge.com and its author. This content is made available by use of the public RSS feed offered by the host site and is used for educational purposes only. If you are the author or represent the host site and would like this content removed now and in the future, please contact USSANews.com using the email address in the Contact page found in the website menu.