The definition of "middle class" is complex. After all, class can be defined by many things: income, net worth, education and occupation, for example.
Nonetheless, Pew Research Center took a stab at defining class in a 2016 report, noting that "the income it takes to be middle-income varies by household size, with smaller households requiring less to support the same lifestyle as larger households." By its definition, a household of three would have to earn between $42,000 and $125,000 to qualify as middle-class.
In addition to breaking down the national middle-income range for various household sizes, Pew highlighted the median income of middle-class families by state, scaled to reflect a three-person household. Incomes are also adjusted for the cost of living in each state.
Here is Pew's full breakdown of how much money three-person middle class families earn in every U.S. state.
ALABAMA
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,781
ALASKA
Median household income of middle-class families: $80,230
ARIZONA
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,895
ARKANSAS
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,245
CALIFORNIA
Median household income of middle-class families: $73,197
COLORADO
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,364
CONNECTICUT
Median household income of middle-class families: $78,262
DELAWARE
Median household income of middle-class families: $73,450
WASHINGTON, D.C.
Median household income of middle-class families: $76,999
FLORIDA
Median household income of middle-class families: $70,124
GEORGIA
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,845
HAWAII
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,529
IDAHO
Median household income of middle-class families: $70,476
ILLINOIS
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,257
INDIANA
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,352
IOWA
Median household income of middle-class families: $75,953
KANSAS
Median household income of middle-class families: $73,250
KENTUCKY
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,926
LOUISIANA
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,928
MAINE
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,454
MARYLAND
Median household income of middle-class families: $77,416
MASSACHUSETTS
Median household income of middle-class families: $77,965
MICHIGAN
Median household income of middle-class families: $73,248
MINNESOTA
Median household income of middle-class families: $76,310
MISSISSIPPI
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,391
MISSOURI
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,646
MONTANA
Median household income of middle-class families: $70,813
NEBRASKA
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,432
NEVADA
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,589
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Median household income of middle-class families: $75,647
NEW JERSEY
Median household income of middle-class families: $75,768
NEW MEXICO
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,680
NEW YORK
Median household income of middle-class families: $73,227
NORTH CAROLINA
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,342
NORTH DAKOTA
Median household income of middle-class families: $75,801
OHIO
Median household income of middle-class families: $73,458
OKLAHOMA
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,249
OREGON
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,971
PENNSYLVANIA
Median household income of middle-class families: $73,659
RHODE ISLAND
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,908
SOUTH CAROLINA
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,752
SOUTH DAKOTA
Median household income of middle-class families: $77,176
TENNESSEE
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,744
TEXAS
Median household income of middle-class families: $72,542
UTAH
Median household income of middle-class families: $71,367
VERMONT
Median household income of middle-class families: $75,540
VIRGINIA
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,999
WASHINGTON
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,183
WEST VIRGINIA
Median household income of middle-class families: $70,838
WISCONSIN
Median household income of middle-class families: $74,577
WYOMING
Median household income of middle-class families: $75,811
This is an update of a previously published story.
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