AnswerIn Colorado, a middle-class household earns roughly $65,100 to $194,200 per year — bracketing the state median household income of $97,100.
Middle-class range: $65,100 – $194,200 · State median: $97,100
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-Year Estimates · Pew Research Center methodology (0.67× to 2× median)
Middle Class Income in Colorado (2026)
What it takes to count as middle class in Colorado— anchored to the state's ACS 2024 median household income and the Pew Research Center's 0.67×-to-2× framework. Most populous city: Denver.
In Colorado, a household is middle class in 2026 if it earns between $65,100 and $194,200 per year, bracketing the state median of $97,100. That is the Pew Research Center's 0.67×-to-2× window applied to US Census Bureau ACS 2024 data — 19.0% above the national median.
Colorado middle-class bounds
Following Pew Research Center methodology, middle-income households earn two-thirds to double the median. For Colorado, that means anywhere from $65,100 on the low end up to $194,200 on the high end. Below $65,100 is classified as lower-income; above $194,200 is upper-income.
Local context: Denver
Colorado's economy combines the Denver-Boulder-Fort Collins tech and biotech corridor, aerospace and defense around Colorado Springs, ski tourism and second-home wealth in the high country, agriculture and energy on the Eastern Plains and Western Slope, and a still-growing legal cannabis sector. Population grew about 14 percent from 2010 to 2023, mostly Front Range. Resort municipalities like Aspen, Vail, and Telluride show some of the most extreme wealth-to-worker income ratios in the country, with deed-restricted workforce housing now central to local policy. Colorado Springs hosts five military installations, anchoring stable federal-payroll middle-class employment. The Western Slope balances ranching, energy extraction, and outdoor recreation, with Grand Junction emerging as a regional services hub.
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Frequently asked questions
What income is considered middle class in Colorado in 2026?
In Colorado, a household is considered middle class if it earns roughly $65,100 to $194,200 per year, using the Pew Research definition (two-thirds to double the state median household income of $97,100).
How is the middle class defined?
We use the Pew Research Center definition: middle-income households earn between two-thirds (0.67×) and double (2.00×) the relevant median household income.
Is $97,100 a middle-class income in Colorado?
Yes. $97,100 is the ACS 2024 median household income for Colorado, so it sits at the center of this page's $65,100 to $194,200 middle-class range.
Related tools and guides
- What Is Middle Class Income in 2026? — full guidedefinition, methodology, history of the term
- Am I Middle Class? — interactive calculatorplug in your income, household size, state
- Middle Class Income by State — huball 50 states + DC compared
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use published benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between published cells. Figures are in current-year USD unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.