Staggering six-figure income now means you’re ‘lower-middle class’ in 12 states — including California
A new report from Money Lion indicates that a six-figure income is now considered 'lower-middle class' in 12 U.S. states, including California, due to rising costs of living. The classification is based on Pew Research Center’s definition of middle class, with lower-middle class falling in the bottom third of the middle-income range. California ranks fifth among these states, where earning over $111,277 is needed to qualify as middle class.
- ▪According to Money Lion's report, a $100,000 annual income is considered 'lower-middle class' in 12 states, including California.
- ▪The classification follows Pew Research Center’s definition, where lower-middle class falls between two-thirds and double the median household income, specifically in the bottom third of that range.
- ▪California has a median household income of $100,149, with annual necessities costing $81,674, and a lower-middle class income cap of $111,277.
- ▪Hawaii has the highest annual cost of necessities among the listed states at $99,179, just below its lower-middle class threshold of $111,939.
- ▪Other states where $100,000 is considered lower-middle class include Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, Colorado, Utah, Connecticut, Alaska, Virginia, New Hampshire, and Hawaii.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Metro Staggering six-figure income now means you’re ‘lower-middle class’ in 12 states — including California By Brian Gallagher Published April 29, 2026, 7:43 p.m. ET A six-figure income used to mean you’d made it — but those days are long gone for Californians and residents of several other states across the country. The $100,000 annual salary many had strived for as a status symbol is now barely enough to make ends meet in the 21st Century, according to a new report from Money Lion. The once-coveted salary is now considered “lower-middle class” in California and 11 other states. 5 A six-figure income used to mean one had it made in the proverbial shade, but those days are long gone for residents of California and several other states across the country.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at California Post.
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