How Much You’ll Need Saved To Live a Middle-Class Retirement in Every State

Retirement is often top of mind for many impending retirees, but it’s something that everyone should be planning for — and planning for early; it requires years — decades, really — of saving in order to retire comfortably with a basic middle-class lifestyle.

Just how much do you need to save for a middle-class retirement? What even constitutes middle class in every state? Pooling together data from all 50 states, measuring income ranges, cost of living and more, GOBankingRates has calculated the middle-class income range for each of the 50 states, along with how much money would be needed for a 20-year retirement in all of them.

See how much you need to retire in your state or your dream retirement state.

• Mississippi is the state that requires the least money for 20 years of a middle-class retirement: About $270,000.
• Eight of the 10 most affordable are in the South: Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee.
• The most expensive state for a middle-class retirement is Maryland, where you would need about $893,000 saved for 20 years. Rounding out the five most expensive retirement states for the middle class are Massachusetts, New Jersey, Hawaii and California.

• Middle-class income range: $41,351 to $124,054
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $364,868
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $827,027

• Middle-class income range: $59,557 to $178,672
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $728,988
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,191,147

• Middle-class income range: $51,248 to $153,744
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $562,802
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,024,960

• Middle-class income range: $39,182 to $117,546
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $321,482
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $783,640

• Middle-class income range: $64,223 to $912,668
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $822,295
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,284,453

• Middle-class income range: $61,647 to $184,940
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $770,775
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,232,933

• Middle-class income range: $62,507 to $187,520
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $787,975
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,250,133

• Middle-class income range: $55,237 to $165,710
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $642,575
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,104,733

• Middle-class income range: $47,807 to $143,422
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $493,988
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $956,147

• Middle-class income range: $49,776 to $149,328
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $533,362
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $995,520

• Middle-class income range: $65,545 to $196,634
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $848,735
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,310,893

• Middle-class income range: $49,757 to $149,272
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $532,988
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $995,147

• Middle-class income range: $54,468 to $163,404
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $627,202
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,089,360

• Middle-class income range: $46,701 to $140,102
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $471,855
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $934,013

• Middle-class income range: $48,765 to $146,294
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $513,135
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $975,293

• Middle-class income range: $48,426 to $145,278
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $506,362
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $968,520

• Middle-class income range: $41,611 to $124,834
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $370,068
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $832,227

• Middle-class income range: $40,015 to $120,046
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $338,148
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $800,307

• Middle-class income range: $47,849 to $143,546
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $494,815
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $956,973

• Middle-class income range: $67,768 to $202,304
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $893,202
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,355,360

• Middle-class income range: $67,561 to $202,682
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $889,055
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,351,213

• Middle-class income range: $47,433 to $142,298
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $486,495
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $948,653

• Middle-class income range: $58,371 to $175,112
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $705,255
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,167,413

• Middle-class income range: $36,610 to $109,830
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $270,042
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $732,200

• Middle-class income range: $45,947 to $137,840
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $456,775
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $918,933

For You:

• Middle-class income range: $46,615 to $139,844
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $470,135
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $932,293

• Middle-class income range: $49,990 to $149,970
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $537,642
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $999,800

• Middle-class income range: $50,374 to $151,122
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $545,322
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,007,480

• Middle-class income range: $63,752 to $191,256
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $812,882
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,275,040

• Middle-class income range: $67,367 to $202,100
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $885,175
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,347,333

• Middle-class income range: $41,417 to $124,250
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $366,175
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $828,333

• Middle-class income range: $56,385 to $169,156
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $665,548
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,127,707

• Middle-class income range: $46,603 to $139,808
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $469,895
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $932,053

• Middle-class income range: $50,633 to $151,898
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $550,495
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,012,653

• Middle-class income range: $46,453 to $139,360
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $466,908
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $929,067

• Middle-class income range: $42,402 to $127,206
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $385,882
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $848,040

• Middle-class income range: $53,617 to $160,852
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $610,188
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,072,347

• Middle-class income range: $50,721 to $152,162
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $552,255
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,014,413

• Middle-class income range: $57,581 to $172,744
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $689,468
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,151,627

• Middle-class income range: $44,545 to $133,636
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $428,748
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $890,907

• Middle-class income range: $48,281 to $144,842
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $503,455
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $965,613

• Middle-class income range: $44,731 to $134,194
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $432,468
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $894,627

• Middle-class income range: $50,861 to $152,584
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $555,068
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,017,227

• Middle-class income range: $61,167 to $183,500
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $761,175
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,223,33

• Middle-class income range: $52,016 to $156,048
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $578,162
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,040,320

• Middle-class income range: $60,649 to $181,948
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $750,828
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,212,987

• Middle-class income range: $63,301 to $189,904
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $803,686
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,266,027

• Middle-class income range: $38,611 to $115,834
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $310,068
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $772,227

• Middle-class income range: $50,447 to $151,340
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $546,775
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $1,008,933

• Middle-class income range: $49,877 to $149,630
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement with Social Security: $535,375
• Amount needed for 20-year retirement without Social Security: $997,533

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each state to find out how much you will need saved for retirement. First GOBankingRates found total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and household median income, all sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. Using the cost of living for each state, as sourced from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, and the average cost of living for retired residents, as sourced from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average expenditure costs were calculated for each state. The average single-family home value from December 2024 was sourced from Zillow Home Value Index and the average mortgage cost was calculated (assuming a 10% down payment and using the national average 30-year fixed mortgage rate, as sourced from the Federal Reserve Economic Research). Using the average mortgage and average expenditure costs, the average cost of living was calculated. Middle-class income is defined by Pew Research Center as two-thirds to double the national median income. The minimum income needed to be middle class was calculated and the savings needed to retire was calculated. The average income for one person was sourced from the Social Security Administration for December 2024, and the retirement savings needed after Social Security benefits was calculated. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Jan. 24, 2025.