PEOPLE AND PLACES

PEOPLE AND PLACES
All over the world in different countries, cultures, tongues, and colors are people who have the same basic desire for happiness and respect from his fellow men. We are the same all over as members of the human race. If we honor each other's boundaries with propriety and consideration our voyage thru life can be rich in knowledge and friendship..........AMOR PATRIAE

Monday, October 18, 2021

 





What Income Level Is Considered Middle Class in Your State?






What Income Level Is Considered Middle Class in Your State?






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What is considered middle class? It might take more money than you think to reach this income tier. The Pew Research Center defines middle class, or middle-income households, as those with incomes that are two-thirds to double the U.S. median household income.


However, because the cost of living and average income varies so widely from state to state, the income needed to be "middle class" in one state could be much more or less than what it takes to be middle class in another. Using Pew's definition of middle class, GOBankingRates analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2018 American Community Survey to determine how much two-, three- and four-person families need to earn in every state to qualify for this classification.
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Last updated: June 17, 2021
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Alabama


2-person family middle-class income range: $37,172.94 to $110,964



3-person family middle-class income range: $42,604.63 to $127,178


4-person family middle-class income range: $52,438.89 to $156,534

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Alaska


2-person family middle-class income range: $56,330.92 to $168,152



3-person family middle-class income range: $60,428.64 to $180,384


4-person family middle-class income range: $69,665.26 to $207,956

Billionaires vs. Middle-Class America: Who Pays More in Taxes?
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Arizona


2-person family middle-class income range: $42,284.37 to $126,222


3-person family middle-class income range: $45,197.53 to $134,918


4-person family middle-class income range: $53,119.61 to $158,566

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
Arkansas


2-person family middle-class income range: $35,087.23 to $104,738


3-person family middle-class income range: $38,855.31 to $115,986


4-person family middle-class income range: $46,507.38 to $138,828


California

San Francisco Bay Area
‘Leaving the Bay Area has given me the freedom to be happy’: I ditched my $2K-a month ‘hovel’ and 12-hour-a-day job for a 3-bedroom home in a small town in Washington.



From mortgage rates to cost of living, here’s what to consider if you’re thinking about moving, too.

Not long ago, Krissy Eliot, 32, was living a pricier life in San Francisco. She needed money, a lot of it, for her basic survival. Rent for a 600-square-foot apartment — Eliot calls it a “hovel” — in Richmond, a city 18 miles north of San Francisco, was $2,000 a month. The daily commute from that apartment to San Francisco, where she worked at a tech company, cost $80 a week. If she decided to forgo public transportation — Eliot recalls that Bay Area Rapid Transit, known as BART, sometimes smelled like feces or feet, and some days she just didn’t want to deal — and instead drive, tolls totaled $14 roundtrip. Either way, the commute ate up two hours every day. Plenty of other things were pricey there, too, like doing her laundry at a laundromat and paying tolls whenever she drove somewhere. Within a few months of the start of the pandemic, Eliot realized she wanted to get out. She was burned out from working sometimes 12-hour days in communications at a tech company. “I didn’t have time to do basically anything that fulfilled me on a personal level,” she says. “I was like, you know what, f— it, I’m getting out of here.” She continued: “There are tons of opportunities for creative pursuits in San Francisco, but no time to pursue them,” Eliot, who is currently working as a freelance writer, notes. “In order to survive there, you have to be working all of these jobs that are less than creative.” The only jobs that paid livable wages for the region, she says, were in the tech industry.

When she started to think about leaving, she realized she doesn’t need that much money to be happy. “I have pretty simple desires,” she says. “I just want to eat and write.” She left the Bay Area in fall 2020.

Eliot and her then-boyfriend found a 1,000-square-foot house in Clark County, Wash., about 20 miles outside Portland, Ore. The house, which has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a backyard and a washer and dryer, costs them about $1,500 a month. Eliot turned to full-time freelance writing to make an income and is currently contributing journalism and copywriting to various publications and clients. Even when her now ex-boyfriend moved out, Eliot could still pay for her rent, health insurance ($500 a month) and utilities ($300 a month) from her income. She is even able to save each month, and hopes to purchase her own house. “I’m putting money away to do it and could feasibly accomplish that in the next five years,” she says. “What a dream.”

Dreaming of moving to a less pricey city too?
Here are some resources to help you make that decision
Housing: See what kind of a mortgage you can qualify for here, and look up what you might pay in rent here.
Cost of living and other lifestyle factors: Compare the cost of living in a new city with your current city here, as well as things like taxes, crime and more.
Healthcare: Look up how U.S. News ranks your the new state ranks in terms of healthcare here.
Jobs: If your current job won’t let you work remotely, you can hunt for jobs via sites like Indeed and Glassdoor.
Crime, education and other lifestyle factors: Look these up on Niche.

Even better, she has way more time. Along with pursuing topics that interest her, as opposed to those that merely make money — Eliot is carving a niche for herself in the field of paranormal and cryptozoology journalism — she can do so at a much slower pace, and still make enough money to survive. “I’m making probably half of what I was making in the Bay Area,” she says. “But my lifestyle is dramatically better. I can wake up and work a normal eight-hour day without losing sleep from stress.”

Though the cost of living in her new town is lower than that in Richmond, Calif., moving is about more than money: “Time and space are wealth,” Eliot says. “Living in a three-bedroom house with the luxury of having time to make art is freedom to me.” In the future, Eliot imagines working on a video game script or writing a choose-your-own-adventure book. If she had stayed in the Bay Area, she says, she would have been too tired from working and commuting to even consider such a project, she says. “Leaving the Bay Area has given me the freedom to be happy and creatively fulfilled,” she says.

The move has come with downsides, though: She misses the different kinds of people she met in San Francisco, for example. But in Washington, she can get a dog. “I’ve wanted a dog for the last decade or so,” she says. “It’s finally the right time.”




2-person family middle-class income range: $50,117.34 to $149,604


3-person family middle-class income range: $54,870.99 to $163,794


4-person family middle-class income range: $62,647.68 to $187,008


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Colorado


2-person family middle-class income range: $51,695.19 to $154,314


3-person family middle-class income range: $57,772.76 to $172,456


4-person family middle-class income range: $67,509.20 to $201,520


DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Connecticut


2-person family middle-class income range: $56,695.40 to $169,240


3-person family middle-class income range: $66,263 to $197,800


4-person family middle-class income range: $80,839.52 to $241,312

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
Delaware


2-person family middle-class income range: $47,450.07 to $141,642


3-person family middle-class income range: $55,792.91 to $166,546



4-person family middle-class income range: $67,502.50 to $201,500

Sean Pavone / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Florida


2-person family middle-class income range: $39,789.96 to $118,776


3-person family middle-class income range: $43,393.89 to $129,534


4-person family middle-class income range: $51,789.66 to $154,596

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Georgia


2-person family middle-class income range: $40,845.21 to $121,926


3-person family middle-class income range: $46,002.20 to $137,320


4-person family middle-class income range: $53,740.03 to $160,418

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Hawaii


2-person family middle-class income range: $51,397.71 to $153,426


3-person family middle-class income range: $61,821.57 to $184,542


4-person family middle-class income range: $69,842.14 to $208,484

Charles Knowles / Shutterstock.com
Idaho


2-person family middle-class income range: $39,885.10 to $119,060


3-person family middle-class income range: $43,232.42 to $129,052


4-person family middle-class income range: $50,060.39 to $149,434

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Illinois


2-person family middle-class income range: $47,116.41 to $140,646


3-person family middle-class income range: $54,310.87 to $162,122


4-person family middle-class income range: $65,412.77 to $195,262

Purdue9394 / Getty Images
Indiana


2-person family middle-class income range: $40,695.80 to $121,480


3-person family middle-class income range: $47,411.21 to $141,526


4-person family middle-class income range: $55,750.03 to $166,418

Davel5957 / Getty Images
Iowa


2-person family middle-class income range: $44,792.18 to $133,708


3-person family middle-class income range: $51,367.56 to $153,336


4-person family middle-class income range: $61,254.08 to $182,848

Davel5957 / iStock.com
Kansas


2-person family middle-class income range: $44,103.42 to $131,652


3-person family middle-class income range: $50,075.80 to $149,480


4-person family middle-class income range: $58,316.13 to $174,078

Davel5957 / iStock.com
Kentucky


2-person family middle-class income range: $36,106.97 to $107,782


3-person family middle-class income range: $42,429.09 to $126,654


4-person family middle-class income range: $52,059 to $155,400

Jorg Hackermann / Shutterstock.com
Louisiana


2-person family middle-class income range: $36,315.34 to $108,404


3-person family middle-class income range: $42,047.19 to $125,514


4-person family middle-class income range: $53,242.89 to $158,934

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Maine


2-person family middle-class income range: $42,119.55 to $125,730


3-person family middle-class income range: $50,917.32 to $151,992


4-person family middle-class income range: $60,412.56 to $180,336

Melpomenem / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Maryland


2-person family middle-class income range: $58,147.96 to $173,576


3-person family middle-class income range: $68,045.87 to $203,122


4-person family middle-class income range: $80,429.48 to $240,088

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Massachusetts


2-person family middle-class income range: $54,438.17 to $162,502


3-person family middle-class income range: $68,368.81 to $204,086


4-person family middle-class income range: $83,974.45 to $250,670

RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images
Michigan


2-person family middle-class income range: $41,073.68 to $122,608


3-person family middle-class income range: $49,233.61 to $146,966


4-person family middle-class income range: $60,088.28 to $179,368

YinYang / iStock.com
Minnesota


2-person family middle-class income range: $50,252.01 to $150,006


3-person family middle-class income range: $60,824.61 to $181,566


4-person family middle-class income range: $72,837.71 to $217,426

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Mississippi


2-person family middle-class income range: $33,585.09 to $100,254



3-person family middle-class income range: $36,874.79 to $110,074



4-person family middle-class income range: $44,646.79 to $133,274

Josh_Weinstock / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Missouri


2-person family middle-class income range: $40,137.02 to $119,812


3-person family middle-class income range: $47,224.28 to $140,968


4-person family middle-class income range: $56,973.45 to $170,070

Jon Bilous / Shutterstock.com
Montana


2-person family middle-class income range: $41,358.43 to $123,458


3-person family middle-class income range: $47,905.67 to $143,002


4-person family middle-class income range: $57,155.02 to $170,612

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Nebraska


2-person family middle-class income range: $45,617.62 to $136,172


3-person family middle-class income range: $51,282.47 to $153,082


4-person family middle-class income range: $60,474.87 to $180,522

LPETTET / Getty Images
Nevada


2-person family middle-class income range: $42,436.46 to $126,676


3-person family middle-class income range: $46,585.10 to $139,060


4-person family middle-class income range: $52,754.46 to $157,476

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
New Hampshire


2-person family middle-class income range: $51,969.89 to $155,134


3-person family middle-class income range: $63,278.82 to $188,892


4-person family middle-class income range: $77,816.48 to $232,288

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New Jersey


2-person family middle-class income range: $54,144.71 to $161,626


3-person family middle-class income range: $67,765.81 to $202,286


4-person family middle-class income range: $82,698.10 to $246,860

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
New Mexico


2-person family middle-class income range: $38,553.14 to $115,084


3-person family middle-class income range: $38,622.15 to $115,290


4-person family middle-class income range: $43,667.92 to $130,352

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New York


2-person family middle-class income range: $46,597.83 to $139,098


3-person family middle-class income range: $55,155.74 to $164,644


4-person family middle-class income range: $67,252.59 to $200,754

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North Carolina


2-person family middle-class income range: $39,766.51 to $118,706


3-person family middle-class income range: $44,938.24 to $134,144


4-person family middle-class income range: $54,094.46 to $161,476

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
North Dakota


2-person family middle-class income range: $50,524.70 to $150,820


3-person family middle-class income range: $56,369.11 to $168,266


4-person family middle-class income range: $67,521.93 to $201,558

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Ohio


2-person family middle-class income range: $41,263.96 to $123,176


3-person family middle-class income range: $48,556.91 to $144,946


4-person family middle-class income range: $58,955.98 to $175,988

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Oklahoma


2-person family middle-class income range: $39,604.37 to $118,222


3-person family middle-class income range: $43,061.57 to $128,542


4-person family middle-class income range: $49,231.60 to $146,960

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Oregon


2-person family middle-class income range: $44,341.27 to $132,362


3-person family middle-class income range: $50,984.32 to $152,192


4-person family middle-class income range: $59,710.40 to $178,240

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Pennsylvania


2-person family middle-class income range: $43,328.90 to $129,340


3-person family middle-class income range: $53,888.10 to $160,860


4-person family middle-class income range: $64,841.26 to $193,556

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com
Rhode Island


2-person family middle-class income range: $48,213.20 to $143,920


3-person family middle-class income range: $55,043.85 to $164,310


4-person family middle-class income range: $69,286.71 to $206,826

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com
South Carolina


2-person family middle-class income range: $39,337.04 to $117,424


3-person family middle-class income range: $42,692.40 to $127,440


4-person family middle-class income range: $51,590 to $154,000

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
South Dakota


2-person family middle-class income range: $44,333.90 to $132,340


3-person family middle-class income range: $49,529.08 to $147,848


4-person family middle-class income range: $57,928.87 to $172,922

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock.com
Tennessee


2-person family middle-class income range: $38,167.22 to $113,932


3-person family middle-class income range: $43,790.53 to $130,718


4-person family middle-class income range: $51,220.83 to $152,898

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Texas


2-person family middle-class income range: $43,321.53 to $129,318


3-person family middle-class income range: $47,581.39 to $142,034


4-person family middle-class income range: $54,994.94 to $164,164

AndreyKrav / iStock.com
Utah


2-person family middle-class income range: $44,442.44 to $132,664


3-person family middle-class income range: $51,330.71 to $153,226


4-person family middle-class income range: $57,409.62 to $171,372

DenisTangneyJr / iStock.com
Vermont


2-person family middle-class income range: $46,184.44 to $137,864


3-person family middle-class income range: $54,231.14 to $161,884


4-person family middle-class income range: $63,166.26 to $188,556

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock.com
Virginia


2-person family middle-class income range: $51,174.60 to $152,760


3-person family middle-class income range: $59,441.06 to $177,436


4-person family middle-class income range: $70,116.84 to $209,304

SEASTOCK / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Washington


2-person family middle-class income range: $51,331.38 to $153,228


3-person family middle-class income range: $58,312.78 to $174,068


4-person family middle-class income range: $68,185.23 to $203,538

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West Virginia


2-person family middle-class income range: $34,203.50 to $102,100


3-person family middle-class income range: $41,735.64 to $124,584


4-person family middle-class income range: $49,760.90 to $148,540

Ron_Thomas / iStock.com
Wisconsin


2-person family middle-class income range: $44,306.43 to $132,258


3-person family middle-class income range: $53,190.63 to $158,778


4-person family middle-class income range: $64,167.91 to $191,546

DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto
Wyoming


2-person family middle-class income range: $47,764.30 to $142,580


3-person family middle-class income range: $53,187.95 to $158,770


4-person family middle-class income range: $61,159.61 to $182,566

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Cynthia Measom contributed to the reporting of this article.

Methodology: GOBankingRates found how much the middle class earns in every state by analyzing the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey data to determine how much a two-, three- and four-person middle-class family earns. Pew Research Center defines middle class as making two-thirds (67%) to double (200%) the national median income. For this study, GOBankingRates assumed that a middle-class family earns two-thirds to double the median income for a family of its size in its state. In order to find out how much a middle-class family is earning, GOBankingRates multiplied each median income by 0.67 for the lower limit and by 2 for the upper limit. Data is accurate as of June 22, 2020.

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