Here’s the Line Between Middle Class and Upper-Middle Class in Every State in 2026

The delineation between America’s middle class and its subset of “upper-middle” class can be a murky one, especially on a state-by-state basis. Each state has its own definition of middle class based on its unique cost-of-living factors.

That said, determining the line between middle class and upper-middle class can be a useful tool for a variety of reasons: tracking America’s distribution of wealth, knowing the most appropriate places to move based on your own income range, and being aware of where and how much to invest in housing and real estate.

To that end, GOBankingRates recently launched a study to determine the line between middle class and upper-middle class in every state. GOBankingRates sources such data as state populations and overall income levels, calculating the entire middle class income range for each state by dividing middle class income ranges into thirds — lower-, middle- and upper-middle class.

Also see the jump between the middle class and the top 5% in every state.

• The Massachusetts middle class makes more than any other state. The maximum middle class income rate is $209,656, and the median household income is $104,828.
• Meanwhile, the Mississippi middle class is on the other end of the spectrum: In Mississippi, the maximum middle-class income rate ($121,596) and median household income ($59,127) are the lowest in America.
• Hawaii’s ranking might surprise you: Despite the fact that the Aloha State consistently has the highest cost of living in the nation, Hawaii’s middle-class income range is only fourth highest in the nation — after Massachusetts, New Jersey and Maryland.

• Median household income: $104,828
• Middle-class income range: $69,885 to $209,656
• Upper-middle class income begins: $163,066

• Median household income: $104,294
• Middle-class income range: $69,529 to $208,588
• Upper-middle class income begins: $162,235

• Median household income: $102,905
• Middle-class income range: $68,603 to $205,810
• Upper-middle class income begins: $160,074

• Median household income: $100,745
• Middle-class income range: $67,163 to $201,490
• Upper-middle class income begins: $156,714

• Median household income: $100,149
• Middle-class income range: $66,766 to $200,298
• Upper-middle class income begins: $155,787

• Median household income: $99,782
• Middle-class income range: $66,521 to $199,564
• Upper-middle class income begins: $155,216

• Median household income: $99,389
• Middle-class income range: $66,259 to $198,778
• Upper-middle class income begins: $154,605

• Median household income: $97,113
• Middle-class income range: $64,742 to $194,226
• Upper-middle class income begins: $151,065

• Median household income: $96,658
• Middle-class income range: $64,439 to $193,316
• Upper-middle class income begins: $150,357

• Median household income: $96,049
• Middle-class income range: $64,033 to $192,098
• Upper-middle class income begins: $149,410

• Median household income: $95,665
• Middle-class income range: $63,777 to $191,330
• Upper-middle class income begins: $148,812

• Median household income: $92,090
• Middle-class income range: $61,393 to $184,180
• Upper-middle class income begins: $143,251

• Median household income: $87,534
• Middle-class income range: $58,356 to $175,068
• Upper-middle class income begins: $136,164

• Median household income: $87,117
• Middle-class income range: $58,078 to $174,234
• Upper-middle class income begins: $135,515

• Median household income: $85,820
• Middle-class income range: $57,213 to $171,640
• Upper-middle class income begins: $133,498

• Median household income: $85,220
• Middle-class income range: $56,813 to $170,440
• Upper-middle class income begins: $132,564

• Median household income: $83,504
• Middle-class income range: $55,669 to $167,008
• Upper-middle class income begins: $129,895

• Median household income: $83,211
• Middle-class income range: $55,474 to $166,422
• Upper-middle class income begins: $129,439

• Median household income: $82,730
• Middle-class income range: $55,153 to $165,460
• Upper-middle class income begins: $128,691

• Median household income: $81,486
• Middle-class income range: $54,324 to $162,972
• Upper-middle class income begins: $126,756

• Median household income: $81,166
• Middle-class income range: $54,111 to $162,332
• Upper-middle class income begins: $126,258

• Median household income: $81,134
• Middle-class income range: $54,089 to $162,268
• Upper-middle class income begins: $126,208

• Median household income: $79,991
• Middle-class income range: $53,327 to $159,982
• Upper-middle class income begins: $124,430

• Median household income: $79,721
• Middle-class income range: $53,147 to $159,442
• Upper-middle class income begins: $124,010

• Median household income: $77,871
• Middle-class income range: $51,914 to $155,742
• Upper-middle class income begins: $121,133

• Median household income: $77,735
• Middle-class income range: $51,823 to $155,470
• Upper-middle class income begins: $120,921

• Median household income: $77,545
• Middle-class income range: $51,697 to $155,090
• Upper-middle class income begins: $120,626

• Median household income: $77,488
• Middle-class income range: $51,659 to $154,976
• Upper-middle class income begins: $120,537

• Median household income: $76,881
• Middle-class income range: $51,254 to $153,762
• Upper-middle class income begins: $119,593

• Median household income: $76,442
• Middle-class income range: $50,961 to $152,884
• Upper-middle class income begins: $118,910

• Median household income: $76,376
• Middle-class income range: $50,917 to $152,752
• Upper-middle class income begins: $118,807

• Median household income: $75,532
• Middle-class income range: $50,355 to $151,064
• Upper-middle class income begins: $117,494

• Median household income: $75,514
• Middle-class income range: $50,343 to $151,028
• Upper-middle class income begins: $117,466

• Median household income: $75,501
• Middle-class income range: $50,334 to $151,002
• Upper-middle class income begins: $117,446

• Median household income: $75,340
• Middle-class income range: $50,227 to $150,680
• Upper-middle class income begins: $117,196

• Median household income: $73,958
• Middle-class income range: $49,305 to $147,916
• Upper-middle class income begins: $115,046

• Median household income: $72,389
• Middle-class income range: $48,259 to $144,778
• Upper-middle class income begins: $112,605

• Median household income: $72,350
• Middle-class income range: $48,233 to $144,700
• Upper-middle class income begins: $112,544

• Median household income: $72,212
• Middle-class income range: $48,141 to $144,424
• Upper-middle class income begins: $112,330

• Median household income: $71,997
• Middle-class income range: $47,998 to $143,994
• Upper-middle class income begins: $111,995

• Median household income: $71,959
• Middle-class income range: $47,973 to $143,918
• Upper-middle class income begins: $111,936

• Median household income: $71,589
• Middle-class income range: $47,726 to $143,178
• Upper-middle class income begins: $111,361

• Median household income: $67,816
• Middle-class income range: $45,211 to $135,632
• Upper-middle class income begins: $105,492

• Median household income: $66,659
• Middle-class income range: $44,439 to $133,318
• Upper-middle class income begins: $103,692

• Median household income: $66,148
• Middle-class income range: $44,099 to $132,296
• Upper-middle class income begins: $102,897

• Median household income: $64,526
• Middle-class income range: $43,017 to $129,052
• Upper-middle class income begins: $100,374

• Median household income: $62,106
• Middle-class income range: $41,404 to $124,212
• Upper-middle class income begins: $96,609

• Median household income: $60,986
• Middle-class income range: $40,657 to $121,972
• Upper-middle class income begins: $94,867

• Median household income: $60,798
• Middle-class income range: $40,532 to $121,596
• Upper-middle class income begins: $94,575

• Median household income: $59,127
• Middle-class income range: $39,418 to $118,254
• Upper-middle class income begins: $91,975

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed each U.S. State to find the line between middle-middle class and upper-middle class. For each state a number of factors were sourced including; total population, population ages 65 and over, total households, and median household income were all sourced from the 2024 1-year U.S. Census American Community Survey. Using the definition of middle class from Pew Research Center that states that the middle class income range is two-thirds to double the median household income. GOBankingRates calculated the entire middle class income using the median household income in each state. The middle class income range was seperated into equal thirds to find the lower, middle, and upper-middle class income range. This allows us to compare the line between the middle-middle class and upper-middle class income range. All data is up to date as of Jan. 20, 2026.