Historically, being middle class refers to white-collar occupations and people whose incomes are within the median range for their area of residence.
A 2025 study from SmartAsset says that middle-class incomes range between $49,500 and $148,500. However, this range isn’t the same wherever you may live. For example, the low tier of this range only qualifies as middle class in states like West Virginia or Louisiana.
As inflation grows, your financial fitness needs to evolve accordingly. If it doesn’t, you may not be able to afford to live in these 11 cities in as little as five years…