The New Middle Class: Why $100K Feels Like $60K (And What It Really Takes in 2026)
The median US household income is $83,730, but purchasing power collapsed 20% since 2020. Middle-class thresholds range from $36K in Mississippi to $200K in Massachusetts. Two-thirds of middle-class Americans struggle financially. Here's what middle class actually means in 2026—by location, skills, and assets.
