The term “class” was first widely used in the 19th century, replacing words like “rank” and “order” to better define how the economy — and money — were actively shaping European social groups. Social class is still used to characterize a group of individuals who occupy the same tier on the economic ladder. Today, social classes are divided into three major groups: working (or lower) class, middle class and upper class.
In a 2017 survey conducted by Gallup, 62% of Americans identified as upper-middle or middle class, contrasting sharply with the mere 2% who 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. So, how can ambitious, middle-income Americans increase their social mobility?
To find out where it’s easiest to go from middle class to upper class, GOBankingRates analyzed state-by-state changes in different levels of income over the years. For each state, the study found the year-over-year change and the five-year change in the percentage of households with the 2018 median household income, as well as the percentage of households with incomes of $100,000-$149,000, $150,000-$199,999 and $200,000 or more. It’s important to note that “middle class” was defined as an income range of $35,000-$99,999, based on the median household income of $61,937 from the 2018 American Community Survey. GOBankingRates ranked the states by difficulty in moving from middle class to upper class, with the easiest state placed first.
The study’s findings may surprise you — many of the easiest states to reach the upper class are located in the Rocky Mountain and Pacific Northwest regions, whereas the hardest states vary widely.
Last updated: Sept. 10, 2020
