Wealth and income levels can vary greatly from state to state — for instance, what it takes to be wealthy in California is not the same amount of money required to be rich in Missouri, due to vast differences in cost of living, income ranges and housing costs.
This is true for all income brackets across the country — for example, it’s far easier to be upper-middle class in Mississippi than it is in New York.
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Curious what it would take to broach the upper-middle class income bracket, where it’s easiest, in the poorest states in America? If you’re looking to live comfortably as upper-middle class, here is what you need to know:
First off, national numbers. The median household income in America is $78,538, with 12.4% of the population living beneath the poverty level. Moreover, the lowest salary needed to break into the upper-middle class on average in America is $122,171 yearly.
However, in the 19 poorest states, your salary doesn’t have to be nearly that high to be upper-middle class. See whether your current income can get you into that bracket.
Mississippi
- Median household income: $54,915
- % of population under poverty level: 19.1%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $85,424 to $109,830
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Louisiana
- Median household income: $60,023
- % of population under poverty level: 18.9%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $93,370 to $120,046
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New Mexico
- Median household income: $62,023
- % of population under poverty level: 18.1%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $96,640 to $124,250
West Virginia
- Median household income: $57,917
- % of population under poverty level: 16.6%
- Income range for upper middle class: $90,094 to $115,834
Kentucky
- Median household income: $62,417
- % of population under poverty level: 16.1%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $97,094 to $124,834
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Arkansas
- Median household income: $58,773
- % of population under poverty level: 16.0%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $91,426 to $117,546
Alabama
- Median household income: $62,027
- % of population under poverty level: 15.6%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $96,487 to $124,054
Oklahoma
- Median household income: $63,603
- % of population under poverty level: 15.3%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $98,939 to $127,206
South Carolina
- Median household income: $66,818
- % of population under poverty level: 14.2%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $103,940 to $133,636
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Tennessee
- Median household income: $67,097
- % of population under poverty level: 13.8%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $104,374 to $134,194
Texas
- Median household income: $76,292
- % of population under poverty level: 13.8%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $118,677 to $152,584
Georgia
- Median household income: $74,664
- % of population under poverty level: 13.5%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $116,145 to $149,328
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Ohio
- Median household income: $69,680
- % of population under poverty level: 13.2%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $108,392 to $139,360
North Carolina
- Median household income: $69,904
- % of population under poverty level: 13.2%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $108,741 to $139,808
Michigan
- Median household income: $71,149
- % of population under poverty level: 13.1%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $110,677 to $142,298
Arizona
- Median household income: $76,872
- % of population under poverty level: 12.8%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $119,580 to $153,744
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Missouri
- Median household income: $68,920
- % of population under poverty level: 12.6%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $107,210 to $137,840
Florida
- Median household income: $71,711
- % of population under poverty level: 12.6%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $111,551 to $143,422
Nevada
- Median household income: $75,561
- % of population under poverty level: 12.6%
- Income range for upper-middle class: $117,540 to $151,122
Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates found the upper-middle-class income ranges for every state by first sourcing the median household income in every state from the 2023 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. GOBankingRates was able to find the total middle-class income range by following the definition of middle-class income as two–thirds to double the income of an area. GOBankingRates was able to determine each state’s upper-middle-class income range. To determine the poorest states, the state had to have BOTH a population percent below the poverty line that was greater than the national average AND a median household income below the national average. All data was collected on and is up to date as of March 6, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Here’s the Minimum Salary Required To Be Upper-Middle Class in the 19 Poorest States
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