The American middle class just got a little richer.
On Thursday, the US Census Bureau released its 2016 American Community Survey, an annual survey that measures various economic, social, and housing data among US residents.
According to the survey, the national median household income rose to $59,039 — an increase of 3.2% from the previous year and the American middle class' highest income level to date, beating the previous record of $58,655 in 1999 (all numbers are adjusted for inflation).
In spite of slightly higher incomes, the American middle class has been shrinking for decades. But a majority of people consider themselves to be a part of it — even if they technically aren't.
Defined by Pew as those earning 67% to 200% of the median income — $39,560 to $118,080 in 2016 — only about half of Americans can call themselves middle class. Lower-income households account for 29%, while upper-income households make up the rest, according to Pew.
But that is simply a midpoint for the country.
The household income required to be considered middle class is different in every US state. For instance, a person earning $41,754 in Mississippi falls squarely in the middle class in that state, while someone earning that same amount in New York just misses the middle-income threshold.
Scroll through the map to find out how much money you need to earn to be a part of the middle class in every US state, based on the latest Census figures.
