Once you enter the middle class staircase, you may turn your eyes to the upper middle class. According to a 2022 Gallup survey, this is a fairly elite group, with only 14% of the U.S. population considered “upper middle class.”
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If being an upper middle class is a non-negotiable target, you may have a better chance of reaching it in the south, and the region has a more “affordable” state than any other country. There are some incredibly upscale areas in the south, though. How much do you need to be per year in these places to be considered the upper class?
In a new study, Gobankingrates found the 50 wealthiest cities in the south and then determined the income range for each middle class.
Median household income: $107,496
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $167,217
The highest end of middle and upper income: $214,992
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Median household income: $107,822
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $167,724
The highest end of middle and upper income: $215,644
Median household income: $108,465
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $168,724
The highest end of middle and upper income: $216,930
Median household income: $108,649
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $169,011
The highest end of middle and upper income: $217,298
Median household income: $109,109
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $169,726
The highest end of middle and upper income: $218,218
Median household income: $109,116
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $169,737
The highest end of middle and upper income: $218,232
Median household income: $110,294
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $171,569
The highest end of middle and upper income: $220,588
Median household income: $110,563
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $171,988
The highest end of middle and upper income: $221,126
Median household income: $111,438
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $173,349
The highest end of middle and upper income: $222,876
Median household income: $112,149
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $174,455
The highest end of middle and upper income: $224,298
Median household income: $112,470
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $174,954
The highest end of middle and upper income: $224,940
Median household income: $112,656
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $175,244
The highest end of middle and upper income: $225,312
Median household income: $113,245
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $176,160
The highest end of middle and upper income: $226,490
Median household income: $113,600
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $176,712
The highest end of middle and upper income: $227,200
Median household income: $113,638
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $176,771
The highest end of middle and upper income: $227,276
Median household income: $114,443
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $178,023
The highest end of middle and upper income: $228,886
Median household income: $115,000
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $178,890
The highest end of middle and upper income: $230,000
Median household income: $115,453
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $179,595
The highest end of middle and upper income: $230,906
Median household income: $116,590
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $181,363
The highest end of middle and upper income: $233,180
Median household income: $117,448
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $182,698
The highest end of middle and upper income: $234,896
Median household income: $119,870
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $186,465
The highest end of middle and upper income: $239,740
Median household income: $119,951
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $186,591
The highest end of middle and upper income: $239,902
Median household income: $120,273
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $187,092
The highest end of middle and upper income: $240,546
Median household income: $120,721
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $187,789
The highest end of middle and upper income: $241,442
Median household income: $121,364
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $188,789
The highest end of middle and upper income: $242,728
Median household income: $122,384
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $190,376
The highest end of middle and upper income: $244,768
Median household income: $123,586
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $192,246
The highest end of middle and upper income: $247,172
Median household income: $123,972
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $192,846
The highest end of middle and upper income: $247,944
Median household income: $124,422
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $193,546
The highest end of middle and upper income: $248,844
Median household income: $128,970
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $200,621
The highest end of middle and upper income: $257,940
Median household income: $129,130
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $200,870
The highest end of middle and upper income: $258,260
Median household income: $129,173
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $200,937
The highest end of middle and upper income: $258,346
Median household income: $129,399
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $201,288
The highest end of middle and upper income: $258,798
Median household income: $130,627
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $203,199
The highest end of middle and upper income: $261,254
Median household income: $131,436
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $204,457
The highest end of middle and upper income: $262,872
Median household income: $137,511
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $213,907
The highest end of middle and upper income: $275,022
Median household income: $138,442
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $215,355
The highest end of middle and upper income: $276,884
Median household income: $139,515
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $217,024
The highest end of middle and upper income: $279,030
Median household income: $140,160
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $218,028
The highest end of middle and upper income: $280,320
Median household income: $140,180
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $218,059
The highest end of middle and upper income: $280,360
Median household income: $140,501
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $218,558
The highest end of middle and upper income: $281,002
Median household income: $141,353
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $219,883
The highest end of middle and upper income: $282,706
Median household income: $141,831
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $220,627
The highest end of middle and upper income: $283,662
Median household income: $143,704
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $223,541
The highest end of middle and upper income: $287,408
Median household income: $146,158
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $227,358
The highest end of middle and upper income: $292,316
Median household income: $146,581
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $228,016
The highest end of middle and upper income: $293,162
Median household income: $157,737
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $245,370
The highest end of middle and upper income: $315,474
Median household income: $157,891
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $245,609
The highest end of middle and upper income: $315,782
Median household income: $160,185
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $249,178
The highest end of middle and upper income: $320,370
Median household income: $191,348
The lowest end of middle and upper income: $297,653
The highest end of middle and upper income: $382,696
Methodology: For this article, Gobankingrates first discovered the 50 wealthiest cities in the south (Al, Ar, de, de, fl, Ga, ky, La, La, Md, MS, MS, NC, NC, SC, TN, TX, TX, TX, TX, TX, TX, TX, TX, VA and WV) in the south, requiring a minimum of 20,000 households, while the median household requires a household income of more than $100,000. Gobankingrates then first sourced the intermediate income range by first sourced from median household income in selected southern cities in selected southern cities from the 2023 U.S. Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. From there, Gobankingrates was able to find the total income range of middle-class income by defining middle-class income as two-thirds. From there, Gobankingrates was able to determine the upper and middle income ranges for each city. All data was collected and as of February 19, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on gobankingrates.com: The lowest salary is the upper middle class in the wealthiest cities in the south
