According to the Gallup poll in 2024, more than half of American adults consider themselves to be middle class or even upper middle class. This self-identification has remained around 50% or higher over the past two decades.
The Pew Research Center defines “middle class” as households with incomes ranging from two-thirds to double the state median household income. Therefore, the definition of middle class varies from state to state, as does the proportion of middle-class residents in each state.
In an analysis of over 200 metropolitan areas by the Pew Research Center, Dover, Delaware, stands out with 65% of its residents being of middle income, the highest proportion among all states. In Dover, your annual income needs to fall between $36,292 and $108,876 to be considered middle class.
The latest data from the Census Bureau in 2022 shows the median household income in the United States was $74,580. According to the Pew Research Center, this means middle-class household income falls between $49,720 and $149,160.
The Pew Research Center found that public administration positions have one of the highest proportions of middle-income earners compared to other industries, reaching 61%. This may explain why Dover, the capital of Delaware, has a large number of middle-class residents. Bismarck, the capital of North Dakota, might also have a similar “advantage.”
Here are the top ten metropolitan areas with the highest proportions of middle-class residents, along with the estimated median household income for 2022 from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey:
1. Dover, Delaware
Middle-class residents: 65%
Median household income: $54,438
2. Olympia-Tumwater, Washington
Middle-class residents: 64%
Median household income: $88,853
3. Glens Falls, New York
Middle-class residents: 63%
Median household income: $69,145
4. Bismarck, North Dakota
Middle-class residents: 63%
Median household income: $77,969
Slightly more than half of Americans (51%) were considered middle class by 2023, a significant decrease from 61% in 1971, according to a Pew report.
Midwestern regions appear to be popular among the middle class, with four of the top ten metropolitan areas with the highest middle-class populations coming from Wisconsin, North Dakota, and Michigan.
Compared to other areas in the country, the middle class in these regions benefit from lower living costs. Based on the State-by-State Cost of Living Index compiled by the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center, Wisconsin and North Dakota rank in the middle among the 50 states in terms of estimated cost of living. Michigan, on the other hand, has even lower living costs, ranking in the bottom ten nationally.
The Pew report indicates a decline in the proportion of the middle class in the United States since 1971 when 61% of American households were considered middle class. By 2023, just over half of Americans (51%) were classified as middle class.