The American middle class is dwindling, as residents must earn more than ever to be considered part of the population long associated with stability and comfort, a new analysis reveals. Financial technology company SmartAsset used 2023 US Census data to calculate how much money families must make each year to fall into the middle-income category, defined as earning two-thirds to double the national median income. Nationally, middle-class households must bring in roughly between $49,500 and $148,500 each year. Americans' median income was $74,225, based on the most recent data.