Here's the minimum annual income required to be 'middle class' in California in 2023 (2024)

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Here's the minimum annual income required to be 'middle class' in California in 2023? ›

A separate study by Consumer Affairs published last month tabulated the minimum annual income required for a family of four to be considered middle class in each state, and in California, that income is $69,064.

In California, the middle class income range for 2022 was $61,270 to $183,810.

As of 2022 (the most recent Census data), the average median household income in the U.S. was $73,914, meaning the national range for the middle class is roughly $49,271 to $147,828. Across the nation's largest cities, the range is between $51,558 and $154,590, according to SmartAsset.

In fact, as of January 1, 2024, the minimum wage for most hourly employees in California is $16.00 per hour. This is considerably higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25. However, California's minimum wage system is tiered, with different rates for employers based on the number of employees.

A family of four in California needs to earn nearly $70,000 annually to still be considered middle class in 2023, according to a new report by ConsumerAffairs.

Where you rank by income. According to the Census Bureau's Income in the United States: 2022 report, the median household income is $74,580 (a 2.3% decline from 2021), while household income levels for each class level are as follows: Lower class: less than or equal to $30,000. Lower-middle class: $30,001 – $58,020.

Is $40,000 a year considered middle class? According to Pew Research, a middle-class family of three makes between $56,000 and $156,000. Families of that size who bring in $40,000 a year would not be considered middle class.

Is $30000 a year considered middle class? ›

In addition to New Jersey, you need an annual household salary of at least $50,000 to be considered middle class in 17 states: Oregon, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Delaware, Minnesota, Virginia, Alaska, Connecticut, Utah, Colorado, New Hampshire, Washington, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Maryland.

One way some researchers divide individuals into economic classes is by looking at their incomes. From that data, they split earners into different classes: poor, lower-middle class, middle class, upper-middle class and wealthy.

By the Census data, it means that if you earn between $50,000 and $150,000 a year, you are considered middle class. It's a pretty straightforward answer, but it isn't particularly helpful if you're trying to climb up out of a lower income bracket into the middle class.

The personal finance website defined middle class as “those with an annual household income that is two-thirds to double the median income.” In California, the middle-class household income ranges between $ 61,270 to $183,810, a nearly 50% increase from where it stood in 2012 when it was $40,933 to $122,800.

With New Jersey ranking as the top state to make the most money to be considered middle class, other states ranking in the top five requiring salaries exceeding $50,000 to be in this category include Maryland ($63,321) and Massachusetts ($62,986), Hawaii ($61,633) and California ($61,028).

Lower middle class: Those in the 20th to 40th percentile of household income, between $28,008 and $55,000. Middle class: Those in the 40th to 60th percentile of household income, ranging from $55,001 to $89,744. Upper middle class: Households in the 60th to 80th percentile, with incomes between $89,745 and $149,131.

There's no single definition of “middle class.” According to the Pew Research Center, middle class households have an income that's between two-thirds and twice the U.S. median household income of $70,784. (A $75,000 salary falls easily within this range.)

In addition to New Jersey, you need an annual household salary of at least $50,000 to be considered middle class in 17 states: Oregon, Illinois, New York, Rhode Island, Delaware, Minnesota, Virginia, Alaska, Connecticut, Utah, Colorado, New Hampshire, Washington, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Maryland.

How much does an Upper Class make in California? As of May 23, 2024, the average annual pay for the Upper Class jobs category in California is $58,538 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $28.14 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,125/week or $4,878/month.