Across U.S. cities, middle-class earnings vary greatly. The national average is $30,001 to $58,020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, but it can still be confusing to accurately figure out where you are in the middle-class chain. Even though your status is determined by the income you earn, your location can impact how the values work for you.
Economic circumstances have made the class dynamics even more complex. As a result of lifestyle inflation, U.S. workers need to expand their lifestyle with any rise in income, leaving them with less and less disposable income.
Here’s a look at what the lower middle class makes across different U.S. cities.
Arlington, Virginia
- Median household income: $137,387
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $91,591
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $152,652
San Francisco
- Median household income: $136,689
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $91,126
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $151,877
San Jose, California
- Median household income: $136,010
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $90,673
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $151,122
Irvine, California
- Median household income: $122,948
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $81,965
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $136,609
Seattle
- Median household income: $116,068
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $77,379
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $128,964
Gilbert, Arizona
- Median household income: $115,179
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $76,786
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $127,977
Plano, Texas
- Median household income: $105,679
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $70,453
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $117,421
Scottsdale, Arizona
- Median household income: $104,197
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $69,465
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $115,774
Washington, D.C.
- Median household income: $101,722
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $67,815
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $113,024
Chandler, Arizona
- Median household income: $99,374
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $66,249
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $110,416
San Diego
- Median household income: $98,657
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $65,771
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $109,619
Anchorage, Alaska
- Median household income: $95,731
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $63,821
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $106,368
Oakland, California
- Median household income: $94,389
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $62,926
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $104,877
Chesapeake, Virginia
- Median household income: $92,703
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $61,802
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $103,003
Jersey City, New Jersey
- Median household income: $91,151
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $60,767
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $101,279
Boston
- Median household income: $89,212
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $59,475
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $99,124
Anaheim, California
- Median household income: $88,538
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $59,025
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $98,376
Virginia Beach, Virginia
- Median household income: $87,544
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $58,363
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $97,271
Austin, Texas
- Median household income: $86,556
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $57,704
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $96,173
Portland, Oregon
- Median household income: $85,876
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $57,251
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $95,418
Denver
- Median household income: $85,853
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $57,235
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $95,392
Henderson, Nevada
- Median household income: $85,311
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $56,874
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $94,790
Riverside, California
- Median household income: $83,448
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $55,632
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $92,720
Urban Honolulu, Hawaii
- Median household income: $82,772
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $55,181
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $91,969
Tacoma, Washington
- Median household income: $78,085
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $52,723
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $87,872
Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Median household income: $79,026
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $52,684
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $87,807
Long Beach, California
- Median household income: $78,995
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $52,663
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $87,772
Sacramento, California
- Median household income: $78,954
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $52,636
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $87,727
Aurora, Colorado
- Median household income: $78,685
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $52,457
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $87,428
Raleigh, North Carolina
- Median household income: $78,631
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $52,421
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $87,368
Atlanta
- Median household income: $77,655
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $51,770
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $86,283
Irving, Texas
- Median household income: $76,686
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $51,124
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $85,207
New York
- Median household income: $76,607
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $51,071
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $85,119
Boise City, Idaho
- Median household income: $76,402
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $50,935
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $84,891
Minneapolis
- Median household income: $76,332
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $50,888
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $84,813
Los Angeles
- Median household income: $76,244
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $50,829
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $84,716
Madison, Wisconsin
- Median household income: $74,895
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $49,930
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $83,217
Durham, North Carolina
- Median household income: $74,710
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $49,807
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $83,011
Charlotte, North Carolina
- Median household income: $74,070
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $49,380
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $82,300
Bakersfield, California
- Median household income: $73,827
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $49,218
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $82,030
Mesa, Arizona
- Median household income: $73,766
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $49,177
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $81,962
Reno, Nevada
- Median household income: $73,073
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $48,715
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $81,192
Fort Worth, Texas
- Median household income: $72,726
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $48,484
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $80,807
Salt Lake City
- Median household income: $72,357
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $48,238
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $80,397
Phoenix
- Median household income: $72,092
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $48,061
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $80,102
Arlington, Texas
- Median household income: $71,736
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $47,824
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $79,707
Chicago
- Median household income: $71,673
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $47,782
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $79,637
Stockton, California
- Median household income: $71,612
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $47,741
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $79,569
Nashville, Tennessee
- Median household income: $71,328
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $47,552
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $79,253
St. Petersburg, Florida
- Median household income: $70,333
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $46,889
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $78,148
Omaha, Nebraska
- Median household income: $70,202
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $46,801
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $78,002
St. Paul, Minnesota
- Median household income: $69,919
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $46,613
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $77,688
Spring Valley, Nevada
- Median household income: $69,341
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $46,227
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $77,046
Pictured: Las Vegas
Huntsville, Alabama
- Median household income: $67,874
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $45,249
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $75,416
Lincoln, Nebraska
- Median household income: $67,846
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $45,231
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $75,384
Tampa, Florida
- Median household income: $66,802
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $44,535
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $74,224
Las Vegas
- Median household income: $66,356
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $44,237
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $73,729
Orlando, Florida
- Median household income: $66,292
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $44,195
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $73,658
Lexington, Kentucky
- Median household income: $66,087
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $44,058
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $73,430
Kansas City, Missouri
- Median household income: $65,256
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $43,504
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $72,507
Corpus Christi, Texas
- Median household income: $64,449
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $42,966
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $71,610
Oklahoma City
- Median household income: $64,251
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $42,834
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $71,390
Jacksonville, Florida
- Median household income: $64,138
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $42,759
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $71,264
Dallas
- Median household income: $63,985
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $42,657
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $71,094
Spokane, Washington
- Median household income: $63,316
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $42,211
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $70,351
Louisville, Kentucky
- Median household income: $63,114
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $42,076
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $70,127
Fresno, California
- Median household income: $63,001
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $42,001
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $70,001
Columbus, Ohio
- Median household income: $62,994
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $41,996
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $69,993
Des Moines, Iowa
- Median household income: $62,378
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $41,585
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $69,309
Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Median household income: $61,503
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $41,002
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $68,337
Norfolk, Virginia
- Median household income: $60,998
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $40,665
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $67,776
Wichita, Kansas
- Median household income: $60,712
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $40,475
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $67,458
Houston
- Median household income: $60,440
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $40,293
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $67,156
Pittsburgh
- Median household income: $60,187
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $40,125
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $66,874
Richmond, Virginia
- Median household income: $59,606
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $39,737
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $66,229
San Antonio
- Median household income: $59,593
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $39,729
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $66,214
Indianapolis
- Median household income: $59,110
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $39,407
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $65,678
Lubbock, Texas
- Median household income: $58,734
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $39,156
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $65,260
Little Rock, Arkansas
- Median household income: $58,697
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $39,131
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $65,219
Baltimore
- Median household income: $58,349
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $38,899
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $64,832
Fort Wayne, Indiana
- Median household income: $58,233
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $38,822
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $64,703
Philadelphia
- Median household income: $57,537
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $38,358
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $63,930
Tulsa, Oklahoma
- Median household income: $56,648
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $37,765
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $62,942
El Paso, Texas
- Median household income: $55,710
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $37,140
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $61,900
Greensboro, North Carolina
- Median household income: $55,051
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $36,701
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $61,168
Miami
- Median household income: $54,858
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $36,572
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $60,953
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
- Median household income: $54,416
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $36,277
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $60,462
St. Louis
- Median household income: $52,941
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $35,294
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $58,823
Tucson, Arizona
- Median household income: $52,049
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $34,699
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $57,832
New Orleans
- Median household income: $51,116
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $34,077
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $56,796
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
- Median household income: $50,155
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $33,437
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $55,728
Milwaukee
- Median household income: $49,733
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $33,155
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $55,259
Cincinnati
- Median household income: $49,191
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $32,794
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $54,657
Memphis, Tennessee
- Median household income: $48,090
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $32,060
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $53,433
Newark, New Jersey
- Median household income: $46,460
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $30,973
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $51,622
Buffalo, New York
- Median household income: $46,184
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $30,789
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $51,316
Toldeo, Ohio
- Median household income: $45,405
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $30,270
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $50,450
Rochester, New York
- Median household income: $44,156
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $29,437
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $49,062
Detroit
- Median household income: $37,761
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $25,174
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $41,957
Cleveland
- Median household income: $37,271
- Low end of lower-middle-class income: $24,847
- High end of lower-middle-class income: $41,412
Gabrielle Olya contributed to the reporting for this article.
Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates looked at the 100 biggest cities in terms of total households as sourced from the 2022 American Community Survey. GOBankingRates determined the lower-middle-class low and high limits for each city, under the assumption that middle-class income is two-thirds to double the income of a given area. All data was collected and is up to date as of June 25, 2024.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: What the Lower Middle Class Makes in Different US Cities
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