The Line Between Middle Class and Upper-Middle Class in the South

The line between middle class and upper-middle class moves depending on where you live.

GOBankingRates referenced the Pew Research Center’s definition of middle class and looked at the median income in every state to determine where the line is between middle class and upper-middle class. In the South, the upper-middle class begins at an average salary of about $108,000.

See where the cutoff is in every Southern state.

• Median household income: $62,027
• Middle-class income range: $41,351 to $124,054
• Upper-middle class income begins: $96,486

• Median household income: $58,773
• Middle-class income range: $39,182 to $117,546
• Upper-middle class income begins: $91,425

• Median household income: $71,711
• Middle-class income range: $47,807 to $143,422
• Upper-middle class income begins: $111,550

• Median household income: $74,664
• Middle-class income range: $49,776 to $149,328
• Upper-middle class income begins: $116,144

• Median household income: $62,417
• Middle-class income range: $41,611 to $124,834
• Upper-middle class income begins: $97,093

• Median household income: $60,023
• Middle-class income range: $40,015 to $120,046
• Upper-middle class income begins: $93,369

• Median household income: $101,652
• Middle-class income range: $67,768 to $203,304
• Upper-middle class income begins: $158,125

• Median household income: $54,915
• Middle-class income range: $36,610 to $109,830
• Upper-middle class income begins: $85,423

• Median household income: $69,904
• Middle-class income range: $46,603 to $139,808
• Upper-middle class income begins: $108,740

• Median household income: $63,603
• Middle-class income range: $42,402 to $127,206
• Upper-middle class income begins: $98,938

• Median household income: $66,818
• Middle-class income range: $44,545 to $133,636
• Upper-middle class income begins: $103,939

• Median household income: $67,097
• Middle-class income range: $44,731 to $134,194
• Upper-middle class income begins: $104,373

• Median household income: $76,292
• Middle-class income range: $50,861 to $152,584
• Upper-middle class income begins: $118,676

• Median household income: $90,974
• Middle-class income range: $60,649 to $181,948
• Upper-middle class income begins: $141,515

• Median household income: $57,917
• Middle-class income range: $38,611 to $115,834
• Upper-middle class income begins: $90,093

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each state to find their middle class income range. The median household income, total population and households were all sourced from the US Census American Community Survey. GOBankingRates was able to calculate the middle class income using PewResearch’s definition of middle class, “two-thirds to double the median income”. With the middle class income calculated the lower, middle, and upper middle class were calculated for each state. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Jan. 29, 2025.