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

Trying to define the middle class in any region can be a tricky task, as it’s not necessarily based just on salary, but also on how far that salary gets you. The American South, even with its deeply rooted traditions, is no stranger to economic swings and shifts in income and cost of living. Understanding how much the middle class has changed in this region requires looking at both historical trends and current realities.

Historically, wages in the South were modest compared to other regions, but so were costs. The affordability of housing and lower costs of goods made it possible for a family to live comfortably on even a single income.

However, the second half of the 20th century saw the South undergo a major economic transformation. As the agricultural economy shrank and manufacturing jobs declined, Southern cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville and Austin began to boom. 

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 Southern middle-class families today feel a financial strain due to wage stagnation and the rising cost of living. 

Take a look at how much the definition of middle class has changed in every Southern state from 2012 to 2022 (ranked by largest to smallest percentage change).

• 2022 middle-class income range: $42,690 to $128,070
• 2012 middle-class income range: $29,427 to $88,280
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 45.07%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $47,570 to $142,710
• 2012 middle-class income range: $33,069 to $99,208
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 43.85%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $45,278 to $135,834
• 2012 middle-class income range: $31,539 to $94,618
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 43.56%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $42,415 to $127,246
• 2012 middle-class income range: $29,749 to $89,246
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 42.58%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $44,124 to $132,372
• 2012 middle-class income range: $30,967 to $92,900
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 42.49%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $48,690 to $146,070
• 2012 middle-class income range: $34,375 to $103,126
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 41.64%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $40,122 to $120,366
• 2012 middle-class income range: $28,407 to $85,220
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 41.24%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $37,557 to $112,670
• 2012 middle-class income range: $27,021 to $81,062
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 38.99%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $39,739 to $119,218
• 2012 middle-class income range: $28,773 to $86,320
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 38.11%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $58,166 to $174,498
• 2012 middle-class income range: $42,424 to $127,272
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 37.11%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $40,909 to $122,728
• 2012 middle-class income range: $29,927 to $89,782
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 36.70%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $36,811 to $110,434
• 2012 middle-class income range: $26,933 to $80,800
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 36.68%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $35,323 to $105,970
• 2012 middle-class income range: $25,921 to $77,764
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 36.27%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $65,641 to $196,922
• 2012 middle-class income range: $48,666 to $145,998
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 34.88%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $52,883 to $158,650
• 2012 middle-class income range: $40,079 to $120,238
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 31.95%

• 2022 middle-class income range: $38,568 to $115,704
• 2012 middle-class income range: $29,782 to $89,346
• 10-year change in middle-class income (%): 29.50%

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 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 year with the following definition: Those with annual household incomes that were 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 on and is up to date as of April 8, 2024.