These are the best—and worst—U.S. metro areas for the middle class, new study shows

About 50% of the American population is considered middle class, according to 2022 data from the Pew Research Center. And if you’re part of that class, where you live in the U.S. can greatly impact your quality of life — for better or for worse.

The research group Ludwig Institute for Shared Economic Prosperity (LISEP) ranked the 50 largest U.S. Metropolitan Statistical Areas that offer the best and worst quality of life for the middle class.

The study ranked the livability of each city based on the following:

• True living cost (housing, food, childcare, etc.)
• True weekly earnings (wages for the cost of living for all workers)
• True rate of unemployment out of the population (the percentage of the population unable to find a full-time, living-wage job)

“Across the nation we are seeing both ends of the spectrum — communities where middle- and working-class families are faring well and others where financial survival remains a struggle,” Gene Ludwig, chair of the LISEP, said in an analysis of the study’s findings.

The San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara metro area in California is the best place for the middle class, according to the LISEP report.

While the cost of necessities for a family of four in the area has increased some 75% since 2005 — from about $67,000 to $117,500 — the typical worker has gained nearly 20% in purchasing power during that same time.

Households in the area have, on average, more than 25% of their income leftover after paying for essential expenses including childcare, transportation and groceries, according to the report.

A separate 2023 study from WalletHub ranked San Jose as the second happiest city in the U.S. with high marks for emotional and physical well-being and income and employment.

San Jose is most notable for its connection to Silicon Valley. Major global tech companies like eBay, PayPal and Zoom all have their headquarters in the city.

1. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
2. Austin-Round Rock, TX
3. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA
4. Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD
5. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
6. Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI
7. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA
8. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI
9. Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO
10. Salt Lake City, UT

The second best place in the U.S. for the middle class is the metro surrounding Austin, Texas.

Workers in Austin have a true weekly income of $1,126 and the average household typically also has about a quarter of their income remaining after the cost of necessities, the report states.

Workers in the Austin-Round Rock area have gained more than 30% in their purchasing power since 2005.

Austin, Texas, was also recently ranked the No. 1 fastest-growing U.S. city for millionaires, according to the Henley and Partner’s 2023 wealth report. The Texas city saw its share of millionaires double between 2012 and 2022.

Similar to San Jose, Austin has emerged as a tech hub in recent years,as companies like Amazon, Google, Meta, SpaceX, and Tesla have expanded their presence in the city. In 2019, Apple invested $1 billion to build a new campus.

A recent Bankrate report states that the median sale price for a home in Austin as of January 2023 was $530,000, according to Redfin data. Although that was a 5% year-over-year decline, it’s still well above the national median price of $359,000.

Fresno, California is the worst city for the U.S. middle class, according to the LISEP study.

The cost of living has increased by two-thirds and the typical worker’s buying power has fallen 3% since 2005, according to LISEP. The study also finds that 60% of middle-class, working households in Fresno cannot cover their basic needs.

The true rate of unemployment in Fresno is close to 60%, while, on average, true weekly earnings are $753.

Fresno is located in the heart of California’s most productive agricultural region and is the largest city in the Central Valley.

The average Fresno home value is $363,928, down 0.1% over the past year, according to Zillow.

1. Fresno, CA
2. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV
3. Urban Honolulu, HI
4. Tulsa, OK
5. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
6. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
7. New Orleans-Metairie, LA
8. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
9. Oklahoma City, OK
10. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (tie)

Las Vegas took the No. 2 spot on the list of the worst U.S. metro areas for the middle class.

In Las Vegas, a household is considered middle class if it earns between $41,000 and $122,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. An individual must make between $27,200 and $81,300 to be considered middle class, according to the Pew Research calculator from 2020.

The LISEP study found that the true rate of unemployment in the city is above 50%, while true weekly earnings are $747. Since 2005, the true cost of living has risen by more than 50%.

Nicknamed “Sin City,” Las Vegas, Nevada, is known for its massive casinos and hotels and is a global leader in the hospitality industry.

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