Who qualifies as middle class in California? Here’s how much income you need in 2025
Are you considered middle class in California?
California ranked among the five priciest states in the nation for middle-class living in 2025, according to a recent analysis by personal finance site SmartAsset.
The site used Pew Research’s definition of middle income — two-thirds to double the median household income — to calculate the middle-class income ranges for 100 major U.S. cities and all 50 states.
“For middle-class Americans, the dream has long been a life of reasonable comfort — a stable home, the ability to save enough money to retire, and enough left over for periodic splurges like family vacations, updated cars, or home improvements,” SmartAsset reporter Jaclyn DeJohn wrote in a Feb. 26 article titled “What It Takes to Be Middle Class in America.”
“With living costs surging over the past few years, that dream is getting pricier,” DeJohn said.
The latest data shows that you need more income to maintain a middle-class status than ever before, SmartAsset said, “reflecting both inflation and shifting wages” across the nation.
How much do you need to be considered middle class in California?
A California household needed to earn an annual income of $63,674 to $190,644 to be considered middle class in 2023, the latest data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the SmartAsset found.
That’s an increase of from 2022, when California middle-class households earned an annual income of $61,270 and $183,810.
That means middle-class income requirements in the Golden State increased by $2,404 on the low end and $6,834 on the upper end.
How does California compare to other states?
Households in Massachusetts had to earn a median annual income of $66,565 in order to be considered middle class, SmartAsset found, the highest in the nation.
Middle-class households in New Jersey earned a median income of $66,514 per year, and those in Maryland earned a median annual income of $65,779.
In comparison, Californians had to earn a median yearly income of $63,674 to qualify as middle class.
In general, the amount of money you need to earn to afford living in the Golden State has increased since 2024, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s living wage calculator.
Which US states are in top 10 for middle-class income?
Here’s how much households in the 10 U.S. states with the highest middle-class income requirements earned per year, according to SmartAsset:
- Massachusetts: $66,565 to $199,716 per year
- New Jersey: $66,514 to $199,562
- Maryland: $65,779 to $197,356
- New Hampshire: $64,552 to $193,676
- California: $63,674 to $191,042
- Hawaii: $63,542 to $190,644
- Washington: $63,064 to $189,210
- Utah: $62,274 to $186,842
- Colorado: $61,934 to $185,822
- Connecticut: $61,104 to$183,330
What’s considered middle class in California cities?
Of the 15 major California cities analyzed by SmartAsset, San Jose ranked No. 1 in terms of the highest middle-class income range.
Households in the Silicon Valley city had to earn $90,810 to $272,458 annually to be considered middle class, the study found.
Irvine had the second-highest middle-class income requirements in the state, with middle-class households earning $85,317 to $255,978 annually, while San Francisco came in third, with annual household earnings of $84,478 to $253,460.
To be considered middle class in Sacramento, a household needed to earn $57,280 to $171,856 a year, according to SmartAsset.
In Fresno, middle-class household income amounted to $46,064 to $135,206 annually.
How did SmartAsset come up with its findings?
To determine what income is considered middle class, SmartAsset analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey data for the median household income in 100 of the largest U.S. cities and all 50 states.
SmartAsset determined the middle-class income range by applying a variation of the Pew Research definition of middle-income households, which is two-thirds to double the median U.S. salary.
This story was originally published March 3, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Who qualifies as middle class in California? Here’s how much income you need in 2025."