article: The majority of Americans identify as 'middle class'. But what does it actually mean? Crunching the numbers, a new study by Pew Charitable Trusts has revealed the exact salary you need to qualify in each state. Maryland's middle class is the highest paid in the country, with an average income of $72,483. Alaska is second with $72,237, followed by New Jersey with $70,165. The top five is completed by Hawaii and the District of Columbia, where middle class citizens are paid an average higher than $67,500. With an average income of $37,963, Mississippi's middle class is the lowest paid in the country. It is followed by Arkansas with $40,511, West Virginia with $41,253, Alabama with $42,849, and Kentucky with $43,399. New York - home to the financial capital of the United States, New York City - falls 17th in the table. The lowest paid middle class citizen in New York earns $38,246 and the highest paid takes an annual salary of $114,738. The average is $57,369. In California, 11th on the table, the average middle class income is $60,190, with a lower limit of $40,127 and an upper limit of $120,380. According to the study, published on March 19, America's middle class has shrunk significantly in the wake of the financial crisis. This colored map of the country displays the shrinking middle class across the U.S. However, whether you earn $20,000 or $250,000, you are still more likely to classify yourself as 'middle class'. Technically, Pew's researchers explain, middle class households earn between 67 and 200 per cent of the state's average income. The national average income is $52,250.
highlights: Most Americans identify as 'middle class' whether they earn $20k or $250k .
  New study calculates how much middle class citizens earn in each state .
  Highest paid middle class is in Maryland, Alaska, New Jersey, Hawaii, DC .
  Lowest paid is in Mississippi, Arkansas, West Virginia, Alabama, Kentucky .
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