As the cost of living and housing becomes more expensive, it can be hard to gauge what being middle class even means anymore or whether it’s attainable.
Pew Research defines the middle class as making two-thirds to two-times the median income. The concept of the middle class is usually being able to own a house, having a stable income, having a family and having a modest emergency fund.
Yet the ability to do those things widely depends on the cost of living within your state, which creates the standards for what is “middle class.”
A study by SmartAsset used 2024 U.S. Census data and Pew Research Center studies to define what a middle-class household income looks like in each state.
Here’s what a middle-class income in Arizona looks like compared with other states.
What does it take to be middle-class in Arizona?
According to SmartAsset, the median middle-class household income in Arizona is $81,486, which is No. 20 out of the highest median incomes across the country.
To be considered middle class in Arizona, you would have to have a household income of at least $54,324. Anything above a household income of $162,972 is considered upper class.
Compared to neighboring states such as Utah, New Mexico, California, Colorado and Nevada, Arizona is one of the states with the lowest middle-class incomes. Nevada is the only Southwestern state with a lower middle-class income, with a median middle-class income of $81,134, while California’s is the highest at $100,149, according to SmartAsset.
Which Arizona city has the highest middle-class income?
SmartAsset’s study even breaks down median middle-class incomes by city in Arizona, revealing which city has the highest middle-class income.
According to SmartAsset, Gilbert has the highest middle-class income in Arizona, with the median being $124,968. The threshold to be considered middle class in Gilbert is $83,312, while anything above $249,936 would be upper class.
Here’s what it takes in other Arizona cities.
- Chandler: $73,523-$220,568
- Scottsdale: $69,929-$209,786
- Mesa: $57,053-$171,160
- Phoenix: $56,831-$170,492
- Glendale: $50,474-$151,422
- Tucson: $40,322-$120,966
Reporting by Paige Moore, Arizona Republic
