According to SmartAsset's analysis for 2025, California ranks among the most expensive states for middle-class living. Defining middle class as needing two-thirds to double the median household income, SmartAsset revealed that middle-class income ranges in California are now between $63,674 and $190,644, reflecting a rise from 2022 figures. The increase can be attributed to inflation and rising living costs, making it harder for many to maintain a comfortable lifestyle. Compared to other states, income thresholds for middle-class status are notably high in California, with only Massachusetts having a higher requirement.
"For middle-class Americans, the dream has long been a life of reasonable comfort - a stable home, the ability to save enough money to retire, and enough left over for periodic splurges like family vacations, updated cars, or home improvements," SmartAsset reporter Jaclyn DeJohn wrote in a Feb. 26 article titled "What It Takes to Be Middle Class in America."
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