Disregard any speculation you might have heard about the middle class fading into obscurity. Across 50 cities in the United States, the middle class is not only thriving but there’s active growth in the population.
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To find the cities where the middle class has grown the most, GOBankingRates looked at all U.S. cities with above 40,000 households. Each city’s households in 2022 were analyzed to find the percentage that would be considered middle class, or earning between $50,000 to $149,999.
These cities were then ranked on a five-year change in percentage of middle-class households from 2017 to 2022, and the 50 cities with the greatest changes were included in the final rankings. Only one state is mentioned three times in the top 10 cities. That is Florida, where Hialeah, Miami and Palm Bay all saw significant middle-class growth.
Ranked from 50 to 1, here are the 50 U.S. cities experiencing a growing middle class population.
50. Chattanooga, Tennessee
- 2022 total households: 77,016
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.1%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 42.7%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 18.28%
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49. Dallas
- 2022 total households: 521,147
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.5%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 43.2%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 18.36%
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48. Syracuse, New York
- 2022 total households: 58,424
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 31.2%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.1%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 18.91%
47. Jackson, Mississippi
- 2022 total households: 62,053
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 31.1%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.0%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 18.97%
46. Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- 2022 total households: 98,749
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 35.7%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 42.5%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 19.05%
45. Stockton, California
- 2022 total households: 96,975
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 40.8%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 48.6%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 19.12%
44. Sunrise Manor, Nevada
- 2022 total households: 64,271
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 38.1%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 45.4%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 19.16%
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43. Milwaukee
- 2022 total households: 230,759
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 35.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 42.2%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 19.21%
42. Augusta, Georgia
- 2022 total households: 72,510
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 35.1%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 19.37%
41. Spokane Valley, Washington
- 2022 total households: 41,984
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 43.6%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 52.2%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 19.72%
40. Wilmington, North Carolina
- 2022 total households: 53,374
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.2%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 43.7%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 20.72%
39. Lowell, Massachusetts
- 2022 total households: 42,343
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 49.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 20.82%
38. Orlando, Florida
- 2022 total households: 122,607
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 45.1%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 20.91%
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37. Brownsville, Texas
- 2022 total households: 56,876
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 33.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 40.5%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 21.26%
36. Grand Rapids, Michigan
- 2022 total households: 79,009
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 40.1%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 48.8%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 21.70%
35. Spokane, Washington
- 2022 total households: 96,007
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 39.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 47.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 21.88%
34. Port St. Lucie, Florida
- 2022 total households: 74,960
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 47.5%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 57.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 21.89%
33. South Bend, Indiana
- 2022 total households: 40,559
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 34.2%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.8%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 22.22%
32. Toledo, Ohio
- 2022 total households: 117,618
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 33.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 40.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 22.46%
31. Springfield, Missouri
- 2022 total households: 79,070
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 30.7%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.6%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 22.48%
30. Tucson, Arizona
- 2022 total households: 220,769
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 35.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 43.4%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 22.60%
29. North Charleston, South Carolina
- 2022 total households: 45,917
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 45.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 22.73%
28. Providence, Rhode Island
- 2022 total households: 69,110
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 34.6%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 42.5%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 22.83%
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27. St. Louis
- 2022 total households: 143,059
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 33.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.1%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 23.05%
26. Allentown, Pennsylvania
- 2022 total households: 45,553
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.6%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 45.2%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 23.50%
25. Green Bay, Wisconsin
- 2022 total households: 43,892
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 40.6%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 50.4%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 24.14%
24. Newark, New Jersey
- 2022 total households: 112,635
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 31.7%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 39.4%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 24.29%
23. Akron, Ohio
- 2022 total households: 83,935
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 33.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.4%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 24.32%
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22. Buffalo, New York
- 2022 total households: 118,897
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 31.2%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 38.8%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 24.36%
21. Kansas City, Kansas
- 2022 total households: 56,842
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 46.5%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 24.66%
20. Paterson, New Jersey
- 2022 total households: 49,678
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 32.8%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.0%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 25.00%
19. Athens, Georgia
- 2022 total households: 52,601
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 30.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 25.08%
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18. Rochester, New York
- 2022 total households: 91,315
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 29.5%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.9%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 25.08%
17. Waco, Texas
- 2022 total households: 52,256
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 30.7%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 38.5%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 25.41%
16. Spring Hill, Florida
- 2022 total households: 44,625
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.8%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 52.6%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 25.84%
15. Knoxville, Tennessee
- 2022 total households: 84,195
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 31.8%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 40.3%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 26.73%
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14. Savannah, Georgia
- 2022 total households: 57,673
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 34.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 43.7%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 27.41%
13. Lakeland, Florida
- 2022 total households: 44,323
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 37.0%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 47.2%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 27.57%
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12. Pompano Beach, Florida
- 2022 total households: 46,038
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 38.0%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 48.6%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 27.89%
11. Lansing, Michigan
- 2022 total households: 50,137
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 35.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 45.3%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 27.97%
10. Cleveland
- 2022 total households: 167,829
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 25.5%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 32.8%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 28.63%
9. Laredo, Texas
- 2022 total households: 74,380
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 47.1%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 29.75%
8. San Bernardino, California
- 2022 total households: 62,486
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.7%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 47.8%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 30.25%
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7. Palm Bay, Florida
- 2022 total households: 42,865
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 54.0%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 30.43%
6. Detroit
- 2022 total households: 249,518
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 24.9%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 32.8%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 31.73%
5. Evansville, Indiana
- 2022 total households: 52,070
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 33.4%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 44.4%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 32.93%
4. Miami
- 2022 total households: 186,137
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 28.6%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 38.3%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 33.92%
3. Dayton, Ohio
- 2022 total households: 57,362
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 27.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 36.7%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 34.43%
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2. Pueblo, Colorado
- 2022 total households: 45,782
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 32.0%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 44.4%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 38.75%
1. Hialeah, Florida
- 2022 total households: 76,255
- 2017 percent of households made up of the middle class: 28.3%
- 2022 percent of households made up of the middle class: 41.5%
- 5-year change in middle-class households: 46.64%
Methodology: GOBankingRates looked at all United States cities with above 40,000 households, as sourced from the 2022 American Community Survey, in order to find the 50 cities where the middle class has grown the most. GOBankingRates found what percent of each city’s households in 2022 would be considered upper class (earning between $50,000 and $149,999). The cities were ranked on a five-year change in percentage of upper-class households (2017 – 2022). The 50 cities with the greatest change were included in the final rankings. This was the only ranking factor, and all data was collected from the 2017 and 2022 American Community Surveys conducted by the United States Census Bureau. Supplemental data for each city was found on the 5-year change in households making $50,000-$74,999, $75,000-$99,999, and $100,000 – $149,999). All data was compiled on and up to date as of Feb. 13, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: America’s Middle Class Is Growing the Most in These 50 Cities
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