Would you be considered middle class in New York?
As prices and the cost of living continue to rise, it can be hard to distinguish what it actually means to be middle class and whether it’s still attainable in 2026.
The expectation of being middle class is often deemed by home ownership, raising kids, having emergency funds, having retirement savings and being able to splurge on the occasional vacation. Pew Research defines the middle class in practice as making two-thirds to two times the median income.
However, meeting the mark of being middle class varies by state and its local job market, housing affordability and infrastructure, among other factors.
SmartAsset published a study to determine what it means to be middle class in each state by ranking all of the states and the 100 largest cities in the United States based on the upper bound of middle-class income using data from the 2024 U.S. Census and Pew Research Center studies.
Here is what it looks like to be middle class in New York, according to the SmartAsset study.
What does it take to be middle class in New York?
The median middle-class household income in New York is $85,820, which ranked the No. 15 spot out of the highest median incomes across the country, according to SmartAsset.
To be considered middle class in NY, the SmartAsset study states that you would have to make at least $57,213. Any household income above $171,640 would be considered upper class, according to the study.
New York’s neighboring states, Massachusetts and New Jersey, have the two highest median incomes across the country, with Massachusetts’ median being $$104,828, and New Jersey’s being $104,294.
Buffalo among cities with lowest bound on middle-class income
The SmartAsset study found that Buffalo, New York, is among the 10 cities with the lowest bound on middle-class income, where you would have to make just shy of $35,000 to be considered middle class.
Buffalo ranked No. 98 out of 100 cities, meaning it has the third-lowest income needed to be middle-class, with its median household income for the middle class falling at $52,211.
To be considered middle class in Buffalo, you would need to make at least $34,807. Anything above $104,422 would be considered upper class, according to the study.
The median household income in New York City, however, is $81,228. To be considered middle class in NYC, you would need to make at least $54,152. Anything above $162,456 would be considered upper class.
How SmartAsset assessed middle class by state and cities
To determine what the income requirements and limits are to being middle class in different locations, SmartAsset analyzed the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 1-year American Community Survey data for the median household income in all 50 states and among the 100 largest U.S. cities.
SmartAsset stated that it then used the Pew Research definition of middle-class households, which indicates the salary range from two-thirds to double the median U.S. salary, to help determine the middle-class income range.
—Madison Scott is a New York Connect reporter, covering entertainment, breaking and consumer news, and trending topics with a focus on stories that matter to readers across New York State. She also has an interest in how the system helps or doesn’t help families with missing loved ones. She can be reached at MDScott@USATodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Are you middle class in New York? Here’s the income you need in 2026
Reporting by Madison Scott, New York Connect Team / Rockland/Westchester Journal News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Madison Scott, New York Connect Team | USA TODAY Network
