Here's how much you need to make to be considered middle class in California
LOS ANGELES - It's no secret that California remains one of the most expensive states to live in.
But when it comes to "middle class income," do you earn enough?
SmartAsset analyzed Pew Research's definition of "middle income" as two-thirds to double the median income to determine the income ranges for a household to be considered middle class in 345 of the largest U.S. cities as well as each state.
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According to the study, a middle-class income averages between $52,000 and $155,000 in a large U.S. city. The median household income across all 345 cities is $77,345, making middle-class income limits fall between $51,558 and $154,590.
Five of the top 10 cities in the U.S. with the highest threshold for middle class income are in California:
1. Sunnyvale, California
- Median household income: $169,781
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $113,176
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $339,562
2. Fremont, California
- Median household income: $162,336
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $108,213
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $324,672
3. San Mateo, California
- Median household income: $159,275
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $106,173
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $318,550
4. Santa Clara, California
- Median household income: $158,614
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $105,732
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $317,228
5. Bellevue, Washington
- Median household income: $153,779
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $102,509
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $307,558
6. Highlands Ranch, Colorado
- Median household income: $152,038
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $101,349
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $304,076
7. Carlsbad, California
- Median household income: $146,596
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $97,721
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $293,192
8. Frisco, Texas
- Median household income: $145,914
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $97,266
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $291,828
9. Naperville, Illinois
- Median household income: $140,831
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $93,878
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $281,662
10. The Woodlands, Texas
- Median household income: $137,335
- Lower bounds on middle class income range: $91,548
- Upper bounds on middle class income range: $274,670
Los Angeles ranked #160 ($152,270).
At the state level, New Jersey ranked first in the U.S. with the highest middle class threshold ($189,982). California placed fifth ($183,102).
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Mississippi has the lowest-earning middle class at the state level, the study found.
To learn more about this study, tap or click here.
A separate study by Consumer Affairs published last month tabulated the minimum annual income required for a family of four to be considered middle class in each state, and in California, that income is $69,064.
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According to the California Department of Housing and Community Development, which publishes an updated list of state income limits for each of California's 58 counties every year, three out of the top five cities with the highest income thresholds for the middle class are located in the Bay Area. You can learn more about that study by tapping or clicking here.