The Pew Charitable Trust's Stateline blog recently published a study which looks at how the number of middle class families in America has changed between the years of 2000-2013.
The study found that the percentage of middle class households (as defined above) has shrunk in all 50 states since 2000.
This is especially significant since the median income has also dropped in most states, due to adjustment for inflation.
On the other hand, the percentage of Americans who spend 30% or more of their income (the federal standard for housing affordability) on housing has increased since 2000. Therefore, more Americans are struggling to keep up with living costs.
Take a look at the map below for the full results of the study. Hover over each state to see the percentage of middle class households, the median income, and the percentage of Americans spending 30% or more on housing.
