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According to the latest data from Pew Research, about half of America’s population belongs to the middle class. But being middle class looks different depending on location.
Pew’s commonly used definition of middle class puts the range of median earnings between two-thirds and twice the median salary for a given area. That means you can make $100,000 and be considered middle class in some places but not others.
In fact, according to a new study by SmartAsset, middle-class income ranges vary widely across the top 100 US cities. Fremont, California has the highest earning middle class, with those earning up to $311,936 still falling into the middle income bracket. That’s more than $50,000 more than the next city’s ceiling.
SmartAsset used a variation of Pew’s middle-class calculation to determine where middle-class Americans make the most money. Of course, like many cities in California, higher-income places will have higher-income middle classes.
Three cities near or within California’s Silicon Valley — Fremont, San Jose, and San Francisco — have some of the highest-earning middle classes in the country. That makes sense since the tech industry has earned a reputation for its high-paying roles.
These are the 10 US cities with the highest middle-class income breaks:
- Lower limit for middle income: $104,498
- Upper middle income limit: $311,936
- Lower limit for middle income: $84,673
- Upper middle income limit: $252,754
- Lower limit for middle income: $84,186
- Upper middle income limit: $251,302
- Lower limit for middle income: $81,623
- Upper middle income limit: $243,652
- Lower limit for middle income: $74,223
- Upper middle income limit: $221,562
- Lower limit for middle income: $70,869
- Upper middle income limit: $211,548
- Lower limit for middle income: $70,217
- Upper middle income limit: $209,604
- Lower limit for middle income: $66,395
- Upper middle income limit: $198,194
- Lower limit for middle income: $63,651
- Upper middle income limit: $190,004
- Lower limit for middle income: $63,391
- Upper middle income limit: $189,226
High local median incomes tend to correlate with high cost of living.
Someone earning a middle-class income by San Francisco standards might appear wealthy to a resident of Cleveland, where middle-class incomes range from $23,827 to $71,124, the lowest threshold in the country, according to SmartAsset. However, according to NerdWallet, the cost of living in San Francisco is double that of Cleveland.
And while the Pew equation might tell you whether your salary fits into a numerical middle-class definition, it’s often more of a mindset. Although the proportion of people — about half of Americans, according to a Gallup poll — who identify as middle class is about the same as the proportion of people Pew defines as middle class, not all use the same definition.
Being middle class generally means being financially well enough to live reasonably comfortably. Perhaps you own a home but need to work to make your mortgage payments. You’re not necessarily living paycheck to paycheck, but you can’t afford to retire early.
In general, being middle-class means you can adequately meet your financial obligations, with a little wiggle room to save for the future or pursue your passions.
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