Here’s How Much the Definition of Middle Class Has Changed in the North

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The middle class is not actually one neat income class in the United States but a wide swath of income earners and socioeconomic groups, from $50,000 to $150,000 annual salary, whose dollars stretch differently depending upon what part of the country they’re in.

The North of the country is also not just one region, but includes states that span a wide swath of territory, from Ohio to New York and 20 others in between.

No matter what part of the country you’re in, times have both expanded and contracted for the middle class, as it recovered from the Great Recession and again from the COVID-19 pandemic.

GOBankingRates recently conducted a study to determine how the middle-class definition has changed in every state based on such factors as household income, income change over a 10-year period and more. Many Northern middle-class families today have struggled with challenges stemming from rising costs of living. 

Take a look at how much the definition of middle class has changed in every Northern state from 2012 to 2022.

Connecticut

• 2012 middle-class income range: $46,346 to $139,038
• 2022 middle-class income range: $60,142 to $180,426
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 29.77%

Illinois

• 2012 middle-class income range: $37,902 to $113,706
• 2022 middle-class income range: $52,289 to $156,866
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 37.96%

Indiana

• 2012 middle-class income range: $32,249 to $96,748
• 2022 middle-class income range: $44,782 to $134,346
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 38.86%

Iowa

• 2012 middle-class income range: $34,086 to $102,258
• 2022 middle-class income range: $47,047 to $141,142
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 38.03%

Kansas

• 2012 middle-class income range: $34,182 to $102,546
• 2022 middle-class income range: $46,498 to $139,494
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 36.03%

Maine

• 2012 middle-class income range: $32,146 to $96,438
• 2022 middle-class income range: $45,501 to $136,502
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 41.54%

Massachusetts

• 2012 middle-class income range: $44,439 to $133,316
• 2022 middle-class income range: $64,337 to $193,010
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 44.78%

Michigan

• 2012 middle-class income range: $32,314 to $96,942
• 2022 middle-class income range: $45,670 to $137,010
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 41.33%

Minnesota

• 2012 middle-class income range: $39,417 to $118,252
• 2022 middle-class income range: $56,209 to $168,626
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 42.60%

Missouri

• 2012 middle-class income range: $31,555 to $94,666
• 2022 middle-class income range: $43,947 to $131,840
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 39.27%

Nebraska

• 2012 middle-class income range: $34,254 to $102,762
• 2022 middle-class income range: $47,815 to $143,444
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 39.59%

New Hampshire

• 2012 middle-class income range: $43,283 to $129,850
• 2022 middle-class income range: $60,563 to $181,690
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 39.92%

New Jersey

• 2012 middle-class income range: $47,758 to $143,274
• 2022 middle-class income range: $64,751 to $194,252
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 35.58%

New York

• 2012 middle-class income range: $38,455 to $115,366
• 2022 middle-class income range: $54,257 to $162,772
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 41.09% 

North Dakota

• 2012 middle-class income range: $34,427 to $103,282
• 2022 middle-class income range: $49,306 to $147,918
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 43.22%

Ohio

• 2012 middle-class income range: $32,164 to $96,492
• 2022 middle-class income range: $44,660 to $133,980
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 38.85%

Pennsylvania

• 2012 middle-class income range: $34,845 to $104,534
• 2022 middle-class income range: $48,780 to $146,340
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 35.58%

Rhode Island

• 2012 middle-class income range: $37,401 to $112,204
• 2022 middle-class income range: $54,247 to $162,740
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 45.04%

South Dakota

• 2012 middle-class income range: $32,727 to $98,182
• 2022 middle-class income range: $46,305 to $138,914
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 41.49%

Vermont

• 2012 middle-class income range: $36,112 to $108,336
• 2022 middle-class income range: $49,343 to $148,028
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 36.64%

Wisconsin

• 2012 middle-class income range: $35,085 to $105,254
• 2022 middle-class income range: $48,305 to $144,916
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 37.68%

Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates first sourced the 2012, 2017 and 2022 household median income of every state as sourced from the 2012, 2017 and 2022 American Community Surveys as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. With these median household incomes isolated, GOBankingRates was able to find middle-class income ranges for each respective years with the following definition, those with an annual household income that was two-thirds to double the national median income. For each state, GOBankingRates found (1) 2022 middle-class income range; (2) 2017 middle-class income range; (3) 2012 middle-class income range; (4) 10-year change in middle-class income range; and (5) 10-year percent change in middle-class income. All data was collected and up to date as of April 8, 2024.

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