What is the Middle Class? (Patreon)

REM THIS ALSO APPLIES TO ALL WESTERN NATIONS

Lowering your burn rate is key. Living outside major metro areas can drastically cut costs—without sacrificing quality of life. Example: You need ~$36K to be middle class in Mississippi vs. $67K in Massachusetts. Location matters.

Is Middle Class Shrinking

People talk about the middle class being ravaged in this new world. I dug into the data. It is true. But there is a bright spot. Upper bound middle class has shrunk from 61% to 51% but the lower bound has grown from 14% to 19%.

Why the Variations

The states with the highest middle-class income ranges, like Massachusetts ($67K–$200K), New Jersey ($67K–$200K), and Maryland ($66K–$197K), are often located in the Northeast or on the coasts, where the cost of living is generally higher. These areas tend to have more expensive housing markets, higher taxes, and greater overall expenses, which push the income needed to be "middle class" upward.

States like Hawaii ($64K–$191K) and Alaska ($58K–$173K) have high ranges partly due to their unique economic conditions—Hawaii’s high cost of living due to its isolation and tourism-driven economy, and Alaska’s higher wages tied to industries like oil and fishing, plus its remoteness.