Here's the Minimum Salary Required To Be Considered Upper Class in Every State in 2026
With every passing year, the distribution of wealth evolves and changes in the U.S. Fluctuations in interest rates, property values and cost-of-living across the country mean that income brackets are also in a constant state of flux -- and usually moving upward, with the minimum salary required for the middle and upper classes getting steeper all the time.
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To better understand the nature of class brackets in 2026, MoneyLion recently held a study to find the minimum salary required to be considered upper class in every state in the U.S. Contrasted against that required amount, MoneyLion also calculated the median household income for each state. In all of them, there is a rather wide gulf between the median household income and the minimum requirement to a member of that state's upper class.
Curious what it takes to be upper class in your state? Keep reading to find out.
Alabama
Median household income: $63,999
Upper-class income minimum: $127,999
Alaska
Median household income: $92,788
Upper-class income minimum: $185,577
Arizona
Median household income: $79,964
Upper-class income minimum: $159,929
Arkansas
Median household income: $60,773
Upper-class income minimum: $121,547
California
Median household income: $99,122
Upper-class income minimum: $198,245
Colorado
Median household income: $95,470
Upper-class income minimum: $190,941
Connecticut
Median household income: $95,781
Upper-class income minimum: $191,563
Delaware
Median household income: $84,954
Upper-class income minimum: $169,909
Florida
Median household income: $74,568
Upper-class income minimum: $149,137
Georgia
Median household income: $77,353
Upper-class income minimum: $154,707
Hawaii
Median household income: $100,389
Upper-class income minimum: $200,779
Idaho
Median household income: $77,800
Upper-class income minimum: $155,601
Illinois
Median household income: $83,390
Upper-class income minimum: $166,781
Indiana
Median household income: $71,957
Upper-class income minimum: $143,915
Iowa
Median household income: $75,059
Upper-class income minimum: $150,119
Kansas
Median household income: $74,275
Upper-class income minimum: $148,551
Kentucky
Median household income: $63,726
Upper-class income minimum: $127,453
Louisiana
Median household income: $60,756
Upper-class income minimum: $121,513
Maine
Median household income: $74,733
Upper-class income minimum: $149,467
Maryland
Median household income: $103,678
Upper-class income minimum: $207,357
Massachusetts
Median household income: $103,960
Upper-class income minimum: $207,921
Michigan
Median household income: $72,875
Upper-class income minimum: $145,751
Minnesota
Median household income: $89,062
Upper-class income minimum: $178,125
Mississippi
Median household income: $56,447
Upper-class income minimum: $112,895
Missouri
Median household income: $70,702
Upper-class income minimum: $141,405
Montana
Median household income: $72,509
Upper-class income minimum: $145,019
Nebraska
Median household income: $76,475
Upper-class income minimum: $152,951
Nevada
Median household income: $78,260
Upper-class income minimum: $156,521
New Hampshire
Median household income: $99,031
Upper-class income minimum: $198,063
New Jersey
Median household income: $103,556
Upper-class income minimum: $207,113
New Mexico
Median household income: $64,059
Upper-class income minimum: $128,119
New York
Median household income: $85,974
Upper-class income minimum: $171,949
North Carolina
Median household income: $72,388
Upper-class income minimum: $144,777
North Dakota
Median household income: $76,657
Upper-class income minimum: $153,315
Ohio
Median household income: $71,389
Upper-class income minimum: $142,779
Oklahoma
Median household income: $65,039
Upper-class income minimum: $130,079
Oregon
Median household income: $83,011
Upper-class income minimum: $166,023
Pennsylvania
Median household income: $77,971
Upper-class income minimum: $155,943
Rhode Island
Median household income: $87,796
Upper-class income minimum: $175,593
South Carolina
Median household income: $69,324
Upper-class income minimum: $138,649
South Dakota
Median household income: $75,081
Upper-class income minimum: $150,163
Tennessee
Median household income: $69,595
Upper-class income minimum: $139,191
Texas
Median household income: $78,476
Upper-class income minimum: $156,953
Utah
Median household income: $95,166
Upper-class income minimum: $190,333
Vermont
Median household income: $81,203
Upper-class income minimum: $162,407
Virginia
Median household income: $93,170
Upper-class income minimum: $186,341
Washington
Median household income: $98,141
Upper-class income minimum: $196,283
West Virginia
Median household income: $59,608
Upper-class income minimum: $119,217
Wisconsin
Median household income: $77,485
Upper-class income minimum: $154,971
Wyoming
Median household income: $76,176
Upper-class income minimum: $152,353
Methodology: For this piece, MoneyLion found the median income in every state for households, families, married couple families and non-family households. With these median incomes found, MoneyLion then found the middle-class income ranges for each, assuming that middle-class income is two-thirds to double the income of an area as defined by Pew Research. Once the middle-class incomes were calculated, MoneyLion was able to determine the threshold to be considered upper class in each state by adding $1 to the highest end of middle-class income. All data was collected from the 2024 American Community Survey five-year estimates as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. All data is up to date as of Jan. 29, 2026.
This article was provided by MoneyLion.com for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, legal or tax advice.
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