⚠️ For educational purposes only. Estimates based on publicly available data. Not financial or tax advice. Consult a qualified professional for personalized guidance.

Am I Middle Class?

Enter your household income and state to see where you stand. Instantly compare against your state and national averages.

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How It Works

1

Enter Your Income

Your annual household income before taxes — this includes wages, salaries, tips, investment income, and any other earnings for everyone in your household.

2

Select Your State

Cost of living varies dramatically across states. We compare your income to your state's median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

3

Adjust for Household Size

A $100k income means very different things for a single person vs. a family of six. We use OECD equivalence scales to make fair comparisons across household sizes.

4

See Your Class Tier

Based on the Pew Research Center's methodology, we classify your adjusted income into one of five tiers relative to your area's median.

Frequently Asked Questions

What defines "middle class"?

The Pew Research Center defines middle class as households earning between two-thirds (67%) and double (200%) of the median household income. We expand this into five tiers for more nuanced results.

Why does household size matter?

Income needs scale with household size — a family of four needs roughly twice the income of a single person to maintain the same standard of living. We use OECD equivalence scales to adjust for this.

How accurate is the percentile estimate?

Our percentile is an approximation based on a log-normal distribution model fitted to U.S. household income data. It's useful for general understanding but should not be treated as exact.

What data year is this based on?

State median household incomes are based on 2023-2024 estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS). Actual figures may vary slightly from the latest data release.

Data Sources & Methodology

• Median household income: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS), 2023-2024 estimates
• Class tier methodology: Based on Pew Research Center income classification framework
• Percentile model: Log-normal distribution approximation (σ ≈ 0.85)
• Household adjustment: OECD-modified equivalence scale