AnswerIn Texas, a middle-class household earns roughly $53,400 to $159,400 per year — bracketing the state median household income of $79,700.
Middle-class range: $53,400 – $159,400 · State median: $79,700
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-Year Estimates · Pew Research Center methodology (0.67× to 2× median)
Middle Class Income in Texas (2026)
What it takes to count as middle class in Texas— anchored to the state's ACS 2024 median household income and the Pew Research Center's 0.67×-to-2× framework. Most populous city: Houston.
In Texas, a household is middle class in 2026 if it earns between $53,400 and $159,400 per year, bracketing the state median of $79,700. That is the Pew Research Center's 0.67×-to-2× window applied to US Census Bureau ACS 2024 data — 2.3% below the national median.
Texas middle-class bounds
Following Pew Research Center methodology, middle-income households earn two-thirds to double the median. For Texas, that means anywhere from $53,400 on the low end up to $159,400 on the high end. Below $53,400 is classified as lower-income; above $159,400 is upper-income.
Local context: Houston
Texas effectively contains four major metro economies and a long resource-and-agriculture tail. Houston is the global center of the oil and gas industry and the home of the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical complex in the world. Dallas-Fort Worth is anchored by AT&T, American Airlines, and a deep financial-services and corporate-services base, plus a fast-growing tech presence in Plano and Frisco. Austin has been the country's most prominent destination for tech in-migration since 2020, with Tesla, Oracle, and Apple building or expanding campuses. San Antonio runs on a combination of USAA, military bases including Joint Base San Antonio, and tourism around the Alamo and River Walk. Outside those four metros, the Permian Basin oil-and-gas economy in West Texas swings sharply with commodity prices, while the Rio Grande Valley along the Mexican border has median household incomes among the lowest in the country, supported by agriculture, border-crossing logistics, and a maquiladora-related services economy. The state's lack of an income tax has been a persistent draw for both corporate relocations and individual households.
Compare South states
Frequently asked questions
What income is considered middle class in Texas in 2026?
In Texas, a household is considered middle class if it earns roughly $53,400 to $159,400 per year, using the Pew Research definition (two-thirds to double the state median household income of $79,700).
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 $79,700 a middle-class income in Texas?
Yes. $79,700 is the ACS 2024 median household income for Texas, so it sits at the center of this page's $53,400 to $159,400 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.