With prices on everything from groceries to rent rising and wages not keeping up, it’s more difficult than it was, say, 50 years ago, for Americans to achieve middle-class status. And where you live plays a pretty major factor, as cost of living differs from region to region. Some states have more lower-middle-class folks, while others have more upper-middle-class folks.
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In a new study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in California to find the places with the highest percentage of middle-class households. Below are the 10 cities with the most middle-class people. In each of these places, the majority of the population is middle class.
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10. Heber
Population: 7,308
Household median income: $75,644
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 984
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%
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9. Thousand Palms
Population: 7,662
Household median income: $80,280
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 1,595
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%
8. Mammoth Lakes
Population: 7,233
Household median income: $87,121
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 1,874
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%
7. Castroville
Population: 6,870
Household median income: $90,486
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 906
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%
6. Lemoore
Population: 27,023
Household median income: $82,189
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 5,352
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%
5. Fort Irwin
Population: 8,791
Household median income: $66,964
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 1,676
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 59%
4. Yosemite Lakes
Population: 5,095
Household median income: $100,227
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: $1,110
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 60%
3. Livingston
Population: 14,450
Household median income: $76,158
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 2,079
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 60%
2. Camp Pendleton South
Population: 15,011
Household median income: $66,265
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 2,651
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 61%
1. Lemoore Station
Population: 5,847
Household median income: $65,781
# of households with income between $50k-$150k: 873
% of households with income between $50k-$150k: 63%
Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates analyzed cities in California to find the places with the highest percentage of middle-class households. Using the U.S. Census American Community Survey, the total households, total population, population ages 65 and over, household median income, and number of households with household income between $50,000 and $150,000. To qualify for this study, the California city had to have a population of at least 5,000. The percentage of households that earn between $50,000 and $150,000 were the middle-class households, and the percentage of households that fall within that category were calculated. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 10, 2025.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 10 California Cities With the Biggest Percentage of Middle-Class People
