Are you considered middle class in California? Here’s the 2026 income range

Being middle class means being able to buy a home, raise a family, build an emergency fund, save for retirement and still have enough left over for an occasional vacation.

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However, what qualifies as a middle-class income depends on where you live.

A recent report by SmartAsset found that California has the fifth-highest income threshold for middle-class households in the country.

“The median household income varies widely across the U.S. depending on the local job market, housing market, infrastructure and other factors,” the personal finance website said in a February report.

Using median household income data, SmartAsset calculated the income range that defines the middle class in every state and the nation’s 100 largest cities.

Are you considered middle class in California?

Here is the 2026 income range:

Which states require the highest incomes to be considered middle class?

According to SmartAsset, households in five states can earn more than $200,000 a year and still fall within the middle-class income range.

Massachusetts ranked first, with the upper limit of the middle-class income range reaching $209,656. New Jersey followed closely behind at $208,588, while Maryland ranked third at $205,810.

Hawaii placed fourth with an upper threshold of $201,490, and California rounded out the top five at $200,298.

Here are the 10 states with the highest income thresholds for middle-class households:

1. Massachusetts
2. New Jersey
3. Maryland
4. Hawaii
5. California
6. New Hampshire
7. Washington
8. Colorado
9. Utah
10. Connecticut

What is considered middle class income in California?

California ranked fifth for the highest income needed for middle-class households in the country.

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According to SmartAsset, the Golden State’s middle-class income ranges from $66,766 to $200,298, based on a median household income of $100,149.

Which California cities have the highest income thresholds?

Three California cities ranked among the five cities nationwide with the highest upper limits for middle-class income.

San Jose topped the nation, where households earning between $98,817 and $296,452 are considered middle class. The Bay Area city’s median household income is $148,226.

Irvine ranked second, with a middle-class income range of $97,154 to $291,462 and a median household income of $145,731.

San Francisco came in fourth, with a range of $93,201 to $279,602 and a median household income of $139,801.

Which US cities require the highest incomes to be considered middle class?

According to SmartAsset, these are the 10 cities with the highest middle-class income ranges in the country:

1. San Jose
2. Irvine
3. Frisco, Texas
4. San Francisco
5. Arlington, Virginia
6. Gilbert, Arizona
7. Seattle
8. Plano, Texas
9. Enterprise, Nevada
10. San Diego

How did SmartAsset come up with its findings?

To determine the income limits to be considered middle class for 2026, SmartAsset analyzed 2024 U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey data for all 50 states and the nation’s 100 largest cities.

The personal finance website used a variation of the Pew Research Center’s definition of middle-income households to define “middle class” as households earning between two-thirds and twice the median household income for each location.