10 California Cities With the Biggest Percentage of Middle-Class People

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With prices on everything from groceries to rent rising and wages not keeping up, it’s more difficult than it was, say, 50 years ago, for Americans to achieve middle-class status. And where you live plays a pretty major factor, as cost of living differs from region to region. Some states have more lower-middle-class folks, while others have more upper-middle-class folks. 

In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in California to find the places with the highest percentage of middle-class households. Below are the 10 cities with the most middle-class people. In each of these places, the majority of the population is middle class.     

10. Heber

• Population: 7,308  
• Household median income: $75,644
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 984  
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%  

9. Thousand Palms

• Population: 7,662   
• Household median income: $80,280 
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 1,595 
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%

8. Mammoth Lakes

• Population: 7,233  
• Household median income: $87,121
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 1,874
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%

7. Castroville

• Population: 6,870 
• Household median income: $90,486  
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 906
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%

6. Lemoore

• Population: 27,023 
• Household median income: $82,189  
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 5,352
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%

5. Fort Irwin

• Population: 8,791 
• Household median income: $66,964 
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 1,676
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%

4. Yosemite Lakes

• Population: 5,095 
• Household median income: $100,227 
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: $1,110
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 60%

3. Livingston

• Population: 14,450  
• Household median income: $76,158 
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 2,079
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 60%

2. Camp Pendleton South

• Population: 15,011   
• Household median income: $66,265
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 2,651
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 61%

1. Lemoore Station

• Population: 5,847 
• Household median income: $65,781 
• # of households with income between $50k-$150k: 873
• % of households with income between $50k-$150k: 63%

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in California to find the places with the highest percentage of middle-class households. Using the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the total households, total population, population ages 65 and over, household median income, and number of households with household income between $50,000 and $150,000. To qualify for this study, the California city had to have a population of at least 5,000. The percentage of households that earn between $50,000 and $150,000 were the middle-class households, and the percentage of households that fall within that category were calculated. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 10, 2025.

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