How Much Do You Need To Make In Oklahoma To Be Middle Class

Even though just about every metric of measure varies between all of us... different upbringings, backgrounds, education, skills, etc... there is one commonality that most Americans share.

We all want to make as much money as possible to provide us with the best life we can achieve. That much is universal.

While it's not as much as you'd expect, we all know every state is different in terms of financial independence. What a poor person makes on the low end in New York City may be what a wealthy person makes on the high end in Oklahoma, but with the most recent middle-class data, you might be pleasantly surprised to see where you currently fall in this time of economic uncertainty.

I know 2022 certainly doesn't feel like it has had any good news for any American in regard to money, inflation always hurts the family's bottom line, but wouldn't you rather know instead of just trying to guess where you stand financially?

I stumbled across an article about the middle class in America, and how much it took in each state to achieve that status. If you didn't know, they define a "middle class" as a person or family that earns anywhere from two-thirds up to double what the average income is in any given place.

If you Googled it right now, you would see that the average median income in Oklahoma is $28,944, sort of. That's the number that resulted from the 2020 US Census. If you put it in the official US Government inflation calculator, it quickly accounts for the crazy 15% inflation we've experienced as Americans, becoming a cool $33,924.

While you can do the math yourself to determine where the middle class exists in Oklahoma, there's an app for that.

If you're single and make at least $28,806 annually in 2022, you're on the bottom edge of a middle class that extends all the way up to $86,420 in the state of Oklahoma.

If you're married or a household family of two, the figures slightly change. $40,738-$122,215.

To be a middle-class family of four, it scales up more. $57,612-$172,839.

The sliding scale represents how much of the ideal American life you can afford. If you make more than the big number, you're doing very well among the highest earners in the state. If you make less than the small number, you're not poor, you just haven't reached the middle class yet.

Do what you need to do to grow in 2023. The trades are always looking for workers and the blue-collar pay is exceedingly higher than it used to be. After all, nearly every economic expert is predicting next year to be even worse.