PHILADELPHIA - Are you still "middle class?" Its definition is always evolving, and changes even more depending on where you live.
So, what is the minimum annual income required this year for a family of four to be considered middle class in each state? A new study by Consumer Affairs has figured out:
New Jersey is tied with Connecticut for the third-highest required income - $80,163.
That's over $12,000 more than Pennsylvania and Delaware, which both come in $67,830.
Hawaii tops the list, with an annual income of $82,630 required to be considered middle class. Other states topping the list include the District of Columbia and New York for No. 2, and Massachusetts for No. 4. The bottom five include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, West Virginia and Mississippi.
You need to make this much to be 'middle class' in Philadelphia
Middle class is a term we hear quite a bit when talking about social hierarchy. So what does it really mean, by the numbers?
A different study earlier this year by SmartAsset analyzed the high and low ends of the range of middle-class salaries in 100 large cities and all 50 states.
Philadelphia ranked No. 83 with a middle class income range of $35,442 to $105,798. The median income was $70,372.
The nation’s median household income was $70,784 in 2021, according to census data.