The term, according to Investopedia, is “a socioeconomic category used to describe people and families with incomes that fall into the median range for the geographic area they live in. The definition is not precise, but generally, middle-class people in the United States viewed as having sufficient means to live a comfortable lifestyle.”

So, what defines the middle-class in the state? A CNBC feature sheds light on that question.

Are You Considered ‘Middle-Class’ in Pennsylvania? Here Are the Statistics

Winters adds that, “Even as more households earn six-figure salaries, many middle-class earners are feeling the squeeze. While inflation-adjusted wages have risen since 2022, those gains have been largely offset by increasing costs since the start of the pandemic in 2020.”

So, that’s for the upper middle-class. But, what about lower middle-class and, well, just the median household income in the state? It actually varies widely per state, which makes sense, because the cost of living in each state is very different. But, as mentioned earlier, to be considered upper middle-class, each state’s figure is more than $100,000.

Let’s look at Pennsylvania and get into the numbers. According to the SmartAsset research, the low end of middle-class: is $49,211, the high end is $147,648 and the median household income is $73,824. So, those are the numbers and figures that drive comparisons. If you’ve been wondering about the definition of the term is today, there’s your answer.

Anne Erickson started her radio career shortly after graduating from Michigan State University and has worked on-air in Detroit, Flint, Toledo, Lansing and beyond. As someone who absolutely loves rock, metal and alt music, she instantly fell in love with radio and hasn’t looked back. When she’s not working, Anne makes her own music with her band, Upon Wings, and she also loves cheering on her favorite Detroit and Michigan sports teams, especially Lions and MSU football. Anne is also an award-winning journalist, and her byline has run in a variety of national publications. You can also hear her weekends on WRIF.