How The Definition of Middle Class Differs On The East vs West Coast
Written by
John Csiszar
Edited by
Angela Corry
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The friendly rivalry between the East Coast and the West Coast of America runs deep. Whereas the East Coast has a reputation for being fast-paced, hard-working and steeped in tradition and colonial history, the West Coast is seen as being more laid-back, with more of an Old West history and better weather. But both coasts are generally more expensive places to live than the center of the country, meaning it takes more to be in the middle class.
Depending on where you are on the coasts, however, your cost of living can vary considerably – and so too does the definition of “middle class.”
In more expensive areas like Los Angeles and San Francisco, for example, being in the middle class requires an income of more than six figures. The same is true for some major East Coast cities like Boston and New York City. But there are pockets of more affordable areas on both coasts as well.
To see how the definition of middle class differs, various data points, such as the affordability of housing, the amount of income needed and the overall cost of living, were compared between both expensive and mid-range cities on both coasts. Here’s a look at the results, with data compiled from Zillow, bestplaces and ShiffSovereign.
East Coast Cities
Boston, Massachusetts
- Average home price: $748,243
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $161,813.57
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $11,368
New York City, New York
- Average home price: $763,358
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $165,082.29
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $16,946
Washington, D.C.
- Average home price: $602,135
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $130,216.71
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $11,782
Baltimore, Maryland
- Average home price: $182,997
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $39,574.71
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $7,347
Miami, Florida
- Average home price: $585,611
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $126,643.29
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $11,540
Charlotte, North Carolina
- Average home price: $393,531
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $85,104.43
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $8,985
West Coast Cities
Los Angeles, California
- Average home price: $973,393
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $210,504.43
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $10,289
San Francisco, California
- Average home price: $1,272,219
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $275,127.86
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $12,335
Seattle, Washington
- Average home price: $871,963
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $188,569.29
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $10,758
Portland, Oregon
- Average home price: $531,463
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $114,933.44
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $8,636
Eugene, Oregon
- Average home price: $466,040
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $100,785
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $7,320
Oakland, California
- Average home price: $746,885
- Average salary needed to afford a home: $161,520
- Average cost of living for a family of four: $12,173
The Bottom Line
Overall, expensive cities are expensive cities, whether they are on the East Coast or the West Coast. The same is true when it comes to the middle class. Depending on where you want to live, the term “middle class” can cover a wide range of incomes on either coast. On average, you’ll still be paying more to live on the coasts than you will in most of middle America. However, in many coastal cities, you can still live the middle-class lifestyle on a relatively modest income.
In Eugene and Baltimore, for example, a family of four can live an average lifestyle on less than $90,000. In New York City and San Francisco, on the other hand, the “average” family of four needs $150,000 to over $200,000. Thus, “middle class” has both high and low ranges no matter where you live, East Coast or West Coast.
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