The states with the highest middle-class income ranges, like Massachusetts ($67K–$200K), New Jersey ($67K–$200K), and Maryland ($66K–$197K), are often located in the Northeast or on the coasts, where the cost of living is generally higher. These areas tend to have more expensive housing markets, higher taxes, and greater overall expenses, which push the income needed to be "middle class" upward.

Source: IA