The upper-middle class is experiencing substantial wealth growth. Key findings from a new GOBankingRates study indicate that the percentage change in high-earning households between 2018 and 2023 increased by more than 50% across 50 major U.S. cities.
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GOBankingRates was able to find the 50 cities where the upper-middle class is growing the most by first analyzing cities with at least 40,000 households. Those that earned between $100,000 and $149,000 were selected and kept for the study, as they are considered to be upper-middle class. From there, the percentage change in upper-middle class households from 2018 to 2023 was calculated, and the cities were sorted in order of the largest to smallest increase in upper-middle class households.
Key Findings
- The upper-middle class is growing the fastest in North Charleston, South Carolina. Data reveals that households’ earnings have skyrocketed by 125% between 2018 to 2023.
- Only four cities — one in South Carolina and three in Florida — had earnings increase by more than 100% between 2018 and 2023. North Charleston aside, the three Florida cities include Port Saint Lucie (122%), Hialeah (114%) and Spring Hill (100%).
- The upper-middle class is growing the fastest in 11 Florida cities. These cities are Port Saint Lucie, Hialeah, Spring Hill, Palm Bay, Pompano Beach, Miami, Orlando, West Palm Beach, Lakeland, Cape Coral and The Villages.
As shown in order from largest to smallest household earnings growth, the upper-middle class is growing substantially in these 50 cities.
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1. North Charleston, South Carolina
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,463
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 7,795
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 125.1%
- Household median income: $62,789
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2. Port Saint Lucie, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 7,410
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 16,463
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 122.2%
- Household median income: $78,137
3. Hialeah, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 4,912
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 10,525
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 114.3%
- Household median income: $53,079
4. Spring Hill, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,997
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 8,020
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 100.7%
- Household median income: $66,557
5. Palm Bay, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,678
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 7,314
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 98.9%
- Household median income: $67,521
6. Knoxville, Tennessee
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,676
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 11,079
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 95.2%
- Household median income: $50,994
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7. Meridian, Idaho
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,421
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 10,487
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 93.5%
- Household median income: $98,686
8. Providence, Rhode Island
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,766
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 11,107
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 92.6%
- Household median income: $66,772
9. Pompano Beach, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 4,150
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 7,953
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 91.6%
- Household median income: $63,832
10. Miami
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 13,364
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 24,922
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 86.5%
- Household median income: $59,390
11. Orlando, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 11,127
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 20,638
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 85.5%
- Household median income: $69,268
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12. West Palm Beach, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 4,786
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 8,647
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 80.7%
- Household median income: $69,261
13. San Bernardino, California
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 6,005
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 10,734
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 78.8%
- Household median income: $63,988
14. Evansville, Indiana
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,577
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 6,378
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 78.3%
- Household median income: $52,251
15. Bellingham, Washington
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,785
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 6,745
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 78.2%
- Household median income: $65,821
16. Clarksville, Tennessee
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 6,556
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 11,536
- Percentage change in high earning households: 76%
- Household median income: $66,786
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17. Newark, New Jersey
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 7,921
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 13,905
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 75.5%
- Household median income: $48,416
18. Allentown, Pennsylvania
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,172
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 5,564
- Percentage change in high earning households: 75.4%
- Household median income: $53,403
19. Lakeland, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,858
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 6,754
- Percentage change in high earning households: 75.1%
- Household median income: $60,947
20. Salinas, California
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,616
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 9,802
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 74.5%
- Household median income: $89,150
21. Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 8,158
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 13,987
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 71.5%
- Household median income: $65,526
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22. South Bend, Indiana
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,182
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 5,446
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 71.2%
- Household median income: $52,512
23. Savannah, Georgia
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 4,801
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 8,160
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 70%
- Household median income: $56,782
24. Cape Coral, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 9,011
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 15,309
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 69.9%
- Household median income: $76,062
25. Tucson, Arizona
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 18,682
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 31,711
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 69.7%
- Household median income: $54,546
26. Spring Valley, Nevada
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 9,034
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 15,285
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 69.2%
- Household median income: $72,364
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27. Davenport, Iowa
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 4,489
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 7,580
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 68.9%
- Household median income: $64,497
28. Detroit
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 13,759
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 23,224
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 68.8%
- Household median income: $39,575
29. Lancaster, California
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,932
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 9,844
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 65.9%
- Household median income: $76,083
30. Tempe, Arizona
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 9,153
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 15,178
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 65.8%
- Household median income: $77,643
31. Kansas City, Kansas
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,604
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 9,251
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 65.1%
- Household median income: $59,183
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32. Spokane, Washington
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 9,592
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 15,796
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 64.7%
- Household median income: $65,745
33. Dayton, Ohio
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,310
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 5,450
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 64.7%
- Household median income: $43,454
34. Spokane Valley, Washington
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 4,808
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 7,914
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 64.6%
- Household median income: $70,722
35. Enterprise, Nevada
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 10,942
- Households’ earnings $100-$150K In 2023: 18,007
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 64.6%
- Household median income: $93,980
36. North Las Vegas, Nevada
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 10,668
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 17,536
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 64.4%
- Household median income: $76,772
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37. Green Bay, Wisconsin
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 4,376
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 7,150
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 63.4%
- Household median income: $62,546
38. Akron, Ohio
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 6,176
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 10,091
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 63.4%
- Household median income: $48,544
39. Lewisville, Texas
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 6,024
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 9,821
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 63%
- Household median income: $85,002
40. Salem, Oregon
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 7,826
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 12,728
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 62.6%
- Household median income: $71,900
41. Pueblo, Colorado
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,461
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 5,626
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 62.6%
- Household median income: $55,305
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42. The Villages, Florida
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,822
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 9,441
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 62.2%
- Household median income: $76,523
43. Lowell, Massachusetts
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,385
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 8,716
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 61.9%
- Household median income: $76,205
44. Fresno, California
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 18,483
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 29,913
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 61.8%
- Household median income: $66,804
45. Surprise, Arizona
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 8,399
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 13,571
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 61.6%
- Household median income: $93,371
46. Sparks, Nevada
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,916
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 9,520
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 60.9%
- Household median income: $86,979
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47. Laredo, Texas
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 7,921
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 12,731
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 60.7%
- Household median income: $63,264
48. Killeen, Texas
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 5,464
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 8,777
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 60.6%
- Household median income: $58,339
49. Cleveland
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 9,315
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 14,959
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 60.6%
- Household median income: $39,187
50. Roanoke, Virginia
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2018: 3,339
- Households earning $100K to $150K in 2023: 5,338
- Percentage change in high-earning households: 59.9%
- Household median income: $52,671
Gabrielle Olya and T. Woods contributed to the reporting for this article.
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities with at least 40,000 households, according to the U.S. Census American Community Survey, to find the cities where the upper-middle class has grown the most. Households that earn between $100,000 and $149,000 are considered upper-middle class. Using the American Community Survey, the total population, total households, household median income, households in 2018 that earned $100k to $149k, and households in 2023 that earned $100k to $149k were all sourced. The percent change in upper-middle-class households was calculated and the cities were sorted to show the largest increase in upper-middle-class households. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 1, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 50 Cities Where the Upper-Middle Class Is Growing the Most
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