Middle class is a term that extends to a pretty wide spectrum of income in the United States, from around $50,000 to $150,000. Though that range is wide, it has changed a lot over the last decade, taking more and more to qualify for that definition.
For example, in 2012, a median household income of $35,364 put you in the lower end of the middle class; but by 2022, that minimum threshold began at $50,099. On the other end of the spectrum, in 2012, the highest household income considered to be middle class was $106,092. Just a decade later, that high end had reached $150,298. That’s a 41.67% increase in just 10 years.
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These rates of increase vary from state to state and region to region. In the states that comprise the West Coast (or the Pacific West, to be more specific) — California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii — that rate is even higher, with Oregon seeing the highest growth rate of 53.15%. These states are often coveted places to live, with coastal access, pristine natural attractions and thriving economies, which drive up the cost of living, thus the amount you need to earn to afford to live there.