Here's how much you need to make to be considered middle class in California (2024)

FAQs

Here's how much you need to make to be considered middle class in California? ›

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

As of 2022, middle-class household income ranged between $61,270 and $183,810 in the Golden State, according to a recent analysis from personal finance site GoBankingRates. That's roughly a 50% increase from 2012 when middle-class households earned an annual income of $40,933 to $122,800.

How much does an Upper Class make in California? As of Sep 5, 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.

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).

However, new GOBankingRates research shows that in some major U.S. cities, an annual income of $150,000 is only enough to qualify as “lower middle class.” This is especially pronounced in two Northern California cities and Arlington, Virginia.

Two working adults with two children must earn $138,361 per year, or $33.26 per hour each. In Los Angeles County, the living wage for two working adults with two kids is $138,000 per year, or $33.24 per hour for each adult. For a single adult with no children, the Living Wage is $26.63 per hour, or $55,300 per year.

The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households that earn between two-thirds and double the median U.S. household income, which was $65,000 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.21 Using Pew's yardstick, middle income is made up of people who make between $43,350 and $130,000.7 This is a ...

You also need an annual household salary of at least $50,000 to be considered middle class in 17 other states, including California, New York, Oregon, Washington, Utah and Hawaii. In California, the difference is $122,000, from a salary of $61,028 on the lower end to $183,102 on the upper end.

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.)

130K Salary in California. $127,299 is the 75th percentile. Salaries above this are outliers. $140,029 is the 90th percentile.

Is $200000 a year middle class? ›

The middle class is commonly defined as households earning between two-thirds and double the median income, which is $128,151 in the San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, California metro area, the Census Bureau reports. That means middle class households there earn between $85,434 and $256,302 a year.

Using the BLS study of household earnings from 2021-2022, we found that an average household of 4 people spends approximately $97,000 per year. With a $150,000 salary, this would be sufficient to cover all your expenses and save $15,000 annually.

California. Median household income: $91,905. Upper middle class household income threshold: $159,302.

The average salary in California is $74,999 per year or $36.06 per hour. Entry level positions start at $39,005 per year while most experienced workers make up to $155,654 per year.

If you make $75,000 a year living in the region of California, USA, you will be taxed $19,714. That means that your net pay will be $55,286 per year, or $4,607 per month.

An income of $300,000 a year is generally considered to be upper-middle class or even rich, particularly in regions with a lower cost of living. This classification can vary based on geographic location, family size and the local cost of living.