How Easy Is It To Go From Middle Class to Upper Class in Every State?

The term “class,” first widely used in the 19th century, is still used to characterize individuals occupying the same tier on the personal finance ladder. Today, social classes are divided into three major groups: working (or lower) class, middle class and upper class.

In a 2022 survey conducted by Gallup, about half of Americans identified as middle class, 38% as middle class, and 14% as upper middle class, but only 2% identified as upper class. Income plays the largest role in determining class structure; however, the amount of money needed to ascend into a new class can be tricky to nail down.

Here are the general economic boundaries for each class:

• Lower class: The bottom 20% of earners with household incomes not exceeding $28,007
• Lower middle class: Those making between $28,008 and $55,000
• Middle class: Those ranging from $55,001 to $89,744
• Upper middle class: Households with incomes between $89,745 and $149,131
• Upper class: The top 20% of earners, with household incomes of $149,132 or more

While there’s no formula for how ambitious, middle-income Americans increase their social mobility, some states are better than others for enabling the move from middle to upper class.

GOBankingRates studied changes in income across every state over a recent five-year period. Utah was the easiest state to move from middle to upper class, and Alaska was the hardest.

See where your state ranks.

• 2022 median household income: $86,833
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 32.9%
  • Upper-class households: 96.3%

• 2022 median household income: $70,214 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 37.7%
  • Upper-class households: 108.7%

• 2022 median household income: $90,325  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 36.5%
  • Upper-class households: 81.9%

• 2022 median household income: $76,632
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 31.6%
  • Upper-class households: 96%

• 2022 median household income: $87,598 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 33.8%
  • Upper-class households: 75.2%

• 2022 median household income: $71,646 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 29.3%
  • Upper-class households: 92%

• 2022 median household income: $69,457 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.3%
  • Upper-class households: 85.3%

• 2022 median household income: $90,845 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 27.4%
  • Upper-class households: 67.3%

• 2022 median household income: $72,581 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 35.6%
  • Upper-class households: 84.2%

• 2022 median household income: $84,313 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.3%
  • Upper-class households: 70.2%

• 2022 median household income: $81,370 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 33.3%
  • Upper-class households: 67.7%

• 2022 median household income: $74,014 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28%
  • Upper-class households: 89.2%

• 2022 median household income: $71,355 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 34.7%
  • Upper-class households: 79.2%

• 2022 median household income: $66,341 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 30.6%
  • Upper-class households: 89.3%

• 2022 median household income: $63,623 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 30.4%
  • Upper-class households: 90.7%

• 2022 median household income: $68,251 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.7%
  • Upper-class households: 94.9%

• 2022 median household income: $72,458 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 27.7%
  • Upper-class households: 83.7%

• 2022 median household income: $71,722 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 26.6%
  • Upper-class households: 80.7%

• 2022 median household income: $67,173 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.7%
  • Upper-class households: 87.8%

• 2022 median household income: $59,609 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.3%
  • Upper-class households: 83.3%

• 2022 median household income: $72,459 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 19%
  • Upper-class households: 80.7%

• 2022 median household income: $67,917 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 33.5%
  • Upper-class households: 78.3%

• 2022 median household income: $66,186 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 31.5%
  • Upper-class households: 80.5%

• 2022 median household income: $68,505 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 30%
  • Upper-class households: 77.8%

• 2022 median household income: $64,035 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 31.5%
  • Upper-class households: 79.5%

• 2022 median household income: $79,325  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 25.8%
  • Upper-class households: 58.6%

• 2022 median household income: $54,217  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 25.3%
  • Upper-class households: 83.9%

• 2022 median household income: $73,170  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.5%
  • Upper-class households: 71.6%

• 2022 median household income: $69,747  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 25.7%
  • Upper-class households: 74.7%

• 2022 median household income: $70,571  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 24.8%
  • Upper-class households: 77.1%

• 2022 median household income: $60,183  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 29.3%
  • Upper-class households: 83.6%

• 2022 median household income: $91,905  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 36.8%
  • Upper-class households: 63.4%

• 2022 median household income: $56,355  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.6%
  • Upper-class households: 86.7%

• 2022 median household income: $66,990  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 27.8%
  • Upper-class households: 76.5%

• 2022 median household income: $65,920  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 27.9%
  • Upper-class households: 76.8%

• 2022 median household income: $58,722  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 25.7%
  • Upper-class households: 71.6%

• 2022 median household income: $52,985  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 26.1%
  • Upper-class households: 88.9%

• 2022 median household income: $73,035  
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28%
  • Upper-class households: 60.8%

• 2022 median household income: $78,433   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 28.1%
  • Upper-class households: 60.4%

• 2022 median household income: $98,461   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 24.8%
  • Upper-class households: 47.1%

• 2022 median household income: $87,249   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 26.9%
  • Upper-class households: 52.9%

• 2022 median household income: $73,959   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 20.7%
  • Upper-class households: 58.5%

• 2022 median household income: $61,364   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 23.3%
  • Upper-class households: 69.3%

• 2022 median household income: $96,505    
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 30.1%
  • Upper-class households: 56.1%

• 2022 median household income: $97,126 
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 27%
  • Upper-class households: 44.8%

• 2022 median household income: $94,814   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 26.6%
  • Upper-class households: 62.4%

• 2022 median household income: $81,386   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 29.7%
  • Upper-class households: 54.7%

• 2022 median household income: $90,213   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 22.3%
  • Upper-class households: 41.8%

• 2022 median household income: $57,852   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 23.9%
  • Upper-class households: 61.9%

• 2022 median household income: $86,370   
• Five-year change in:
  • Median household income: 13.5%
  • Upper-class households: 41.2%

Nicole Spector contributed to the reporting of this article.

Methodology: In order to find the states where it is easiest to go from “middle class” to “upper class,” GOBankingRates found each state’s (1) 2022 Median Household income, as well as the (2) year-over year change and the (3) 5-year percentage change in median household income. GOBankingRates then found the (4) 2022 percent of households with incomes $100,000 – $149,000, the (5) year-over year change and the (6) 5-year percentage change in the percent of households with incomes of $100,000 – $149,000, the (7) 2022 percent of households with incomes of $150,000 – $199,999, the (8) year-over-year change and the (9) 5-year percentage change in the percent of households with incomes of $150,000 – $199,999, as well as the (10) 2022 percent of households with incomes of $200,000+, and the (11) year-over year change and the (12) 5-year percentage change in the percent of households with incomes of $200,000+ all sourced from the 2017, 2021 and 2022 American Community Surveys that are conducted by the U.S Census Bureau. GOBankingRates also found each state’s (13) annual expenditures which were calculated using the 2022 Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Expenditure Survey, which was then factored out using the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center’s composite cost of living index for each state from the 2023 averages. These 13 factors were then scored and combined with the lowest score being the best. Factors 1 through 3 were weighted 0.5 times and factor 13 holds 1.5 times weight. All data was gathered and is up to date as of June 24, 2024.