A middle-class salary was once enough to comfortably afford a car, a home and even put away some money into savings. Now, however, many Americans earning a middle-class income are finding it hard to get by.
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“The pandemic turned financial security into a luxury for many middle-class families,” said Josh Richner, founder and debt relief specialist at FaithWorks Financial. “Those who were ‘just fine’ are now living paycheck to paycheck, and many who were living paycheck to paycheck are now on the brink of financial collapse.”
One big reason for this is inflation.
“The cost of essential goods and services has risen significantly in recent years,” Richner said. “Housing prices have soared, healthcare costs continue to climb, and education expenses are at an all-time high.”
In many places, salaries have not kept up with rising prices — particularly for those in the middle class. Depending on where you live, a salary of just $25,000 could put you in the middle class based on the area’s median household earnings.
To find the cities with the lowest middle-class salaries, GOBankingRates sourced income data for the 150 biggest cities in the U.S. and calculated the salary ranges that would be considered middle-class — two-thirds to double the income of a given area. Here’s a look at the 50 cities where the middle class earns the least.
Key Findings
- Cleveland is the major city with the lowest salary threshold to be considered middle class. An income of $24,847 would qualify.
- Among the cities on this list, Grand Rapids, Michigan, has the highest salary threshold to be considered middle class — $41,089.
- Even in the major cities with the lowest middle-class salaries, a six-figure salary is still considered middle class in 34 out of the 50 cities on this list.
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1. Cleveland
- 2017 median household income: $27,854
- 2022 median household income: $37,271
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $24,847
- Highest end of middle-class income: $74,542
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2. Detroit
- 2017 median household income: $27,838
- 2022 median household income: $37,761
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $25,174
- Highest end of middle-class income: $75,522
3. Birmingham, Alabama
- 2017 median household income: $33,770
- 2022 median household income: $42,464
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $28,309
- Highest end of middle-class income: $84,928
4. Springfield, Missouri
- 2017 median household income: $34,775
- 2022 median household income: $43,450
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $28,967
- Highest end of middle-class income: $86,900
5. Rochester, New York
- 2017 median household income: $32,347
- 2022 median household income: $44,156
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $29,437
- Highest end of middle-class income: $88,312
6. Toledo, Ohio
- 2017 median household income: $35,808
- 2022 median household income: $45,405
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $30,270
- Highest end of middle-class income: $90,810
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7. Shreveport, Louisiana
- 2017 median household income: $37,390
- 2022 median household income: $45,967
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $30,645
- Highest end of middle-class income: $91,934
8. Buffalo, New York
- 2017 median household income: $34,268
- 2022 median household income: $46,184
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $30,789
- Highest end of middle-class income: $92,368
9. Newark, New Jersey
- 2017 median household income: $34,826
- 2022 median household income: $46,460
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $30,973
- Highest end of middle-class income: $92,920
10. Akron, Ohio
- 2017 median household income: $36,223
- 2022 median household income: $46,596
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $31,064
- Highest end of middle-class income: $93,192
11. Memphis, Tennessee
- 2017 median household income: $38,230
- 2022 median household income: $48,090
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $32,060
- Highest end of middle-class income: $96,180
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12. Knoxville, Tennessee
- 2017 median household income: $36,331
- 2022 median household income: $48,309
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $32,206
- Highest end of middle-class income: $96,618
13. Mobile, Alabama
- 2017 median household income: $40,020
- 2022 median household income: $48,524
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $32,349
- Highest end of middle-class income: $97,048
14. Cincinnati
- 2017 median household income: $36,429
- 2022 median household income: $49,191
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $32,794
- Highest end of middle-class income: $98,382
15. Hialeah, Florida
- 2017 median household income: $31,012
- 2022 median household income: $49,531
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $33,021
- Highest end of middle-class income: $99,062
16. Milwaukee
- 2017 median household income: $38,289
- 2022 median household income: $49,733
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $33,155
- Highest end of middle-class income: $99,466
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17. Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- 2017 median household income: $40,948
- 2022 median household income: $50,155
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $33,437
- Highest end of middle-class income: $100,310
18. Augusta, Georgia
- 2017 median household income: $39,258
- 2022 median household income: $50,492
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $33,661
- Highest end of middle-class income: $100,984
19. New Orleans
- 2017 median household income: $38,721
- 2022 median household income: $51,116
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $34,077
- Highest end of middle-class income: $102,232
20. Tucson, Arizona
- 2017 median household income: $39,617
- 2022 median household income: $52,049
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $34,699
- Highest end of middle-class income: $104,098
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21. Tallahassee, Florida
- 2017 median household income: $42,418
- 2022 median household income: $52,899
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $35,266
- Highest end of middle-class income: $105,798
22. St. Louis
- 2017 median household income: $38,664
- 2022 median household income: $52,941
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $35,294
- Highest end of middle-class income: $105,882
23. Fayetteville, North Carolina
- 2017 median household income: $43,439
- 2022 median household income: $53,424
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $35,616
- Highest end of middle-class income: $106,848
24. Montgomery, Alabama
- 2017 median household income: $44,339
- 2022 median household income: $54,166
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $36,111
- Highest end of middle-class income: $108,332
25. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- 2017 median household income: $42,219
- 2022 median household income: $54,416
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $36,277
- Highest end of middle-class income: $108,832
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26. Columbus, Georgia
- 2017 median household income: $43,239
- 2022 median household income: $54,561
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $36,374
- Highest end of middle-class income: $109,122
27. Miami
- 2017 median household income: $33,999
- 2022 median household income: $54,858
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $36,572
- Highest end of middle-class income: $109,716
28. Greensboro, North Carolina
- 2017 median household income: $44,978
- 2022 median household income: $55,051
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $36,701
- Highest end of middle-class income: $110,102
29. Paradise, Nevada
- 2017 median household income: $45,904
- 2022 median household income: $55,224
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $36,816
- Highest end of middle-class income: $110,448
30. El Paso, Texas
- 2017 median household income: $44,431
- 2022 median household income: $55,710
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $37,140
- Highest end of middle-class income: $111,420
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31. Tulsa, Oklahoma
- 2017 median household income: $44,577
- 2022 median household income: $56,648
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $37,765
- Highest end of middle-class income: $113,296
32. Philadelphia
- 2017 median household income: $40,649
- 2022 median household income: $57,537
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $38,358
- Highest end of middle-class income: $115,074
33. Chattanooga, Tennessee
- 2017 median household income: $41,911
- 2022 median household income: $57,703
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $38,469
- Highest end of middle-class income: $115,406
34. Fort Wayne, Indiana
- 2017 median household income: $45,853
- 2022 median household income: $58,233
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $38,822
- Highest end of middle-class income: $116,466
35. Baltimore
- 2017 median household income: $46,641
- 2022 median household income: $58,349
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $38,899
- Highest end of middle-class income: $116,698
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36. Little Rock, Arkansas
- 2017 median household income: $48,463
- 2022 median household income: $58,697
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $39,131
- Highest end of middle-class income: $117,394
37. Lubbock, Texas
- 2017 median household income: $47,326
- 2022 median household income: $58,734
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $39,156
- Highest end of middle-class income: $117,468
38. Indianapolis
- 2017 median household income: $44,709
- 2022 median household income: $59,110
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $39,407
- Highest end of middle-class income: $118,220
39. San Antonio
- 2017 median household income: $49,711
- 2022 median household income: $59,593
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $39,729
- Highest end of middle-class income: $119,186
40. Richmond, Virginia
- 2017 median household income: $42,356
- 2022 median household income: $59,606
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $39,737
- Highest end of middle-class income: $119,212
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41. Pittsburgh
- 2017 median household income: $44,092
- 2022 median household income: $60,187
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,125
- Highest end of middle-class income: $120,374
42. Houston
- 2017 median household income: $49,399
- 2022 median household income: $60,440
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,293
- Highest end of middle-class income: $120,880
43. Amarillo, Texas
- 2017 median household income: $51,198
- 2022 median household income: $60,628
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,419
- Highest end of middle-class income: $121,256
44. Wichita, Kansas
- 2017 median household income: $48,982
- 2022 median household income: $60,712
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,475
- Highest end of middle-class income: $121,424
45. Laredo, Texas
- 2017 median household income: $41,302
- 2022 median household income: $60,928
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,619
- Highest end of middle-class income: $121,856
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46. Norfolk, Virginia
- 2017 median household income: $47,137
- 2022 median household income: $60,998
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,665
- Highest end of middle-class income: $121,996
47. Providence, Rhode Island
- 2017 median household income: $40,366
- 2022 median household income: $61,365
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,910
- Highest end of middle-class income: $122,730
48. Eugene, Oregon
- 2017 median household income: $47,489
- 2022 median household income: $61,481
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $40,987
- Highest end of middle-class income: $122,962
49. Albuquerque, New Mexico
- 2017 median household income: $49,878
- 2022 median household income: $61,503
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $41,002
- Highest end of middle-class income: $123,006
50. Grand Rapids, Michigan
- 2017 median household income: $44,369
- 2022 median household income: $61,634
- Lowest end of middle-class income: $41,089
- Highest end of middle-class income: $123,268
Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates found the median income for all qualified cities and calculated the middle-class income range, defined as two-thirds to double the income of a given area. GOBankingRates sourced all income data from the 2022 American Community Survey as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. GOBankingRates looked at both the 150 biggest cities in terms of total households and all cities with above 10,000 total households, as sourced from the 2022 American Community Survey. For supplemental data, GOBankingRates looked at the 5-year middle-class income for every city. All data was collected on and is up to date as of June 18, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 50 Cities With the Poorest Middle Class in America: From a $25K to $40K Income
The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.
