"The benchmark of a six-figure salary used to be the gold standard income," Sabrina Romanoff, a clinical psychologist, told CNBC. "It represented the tipping point of finally earning a disposable income and building savings and spending based on your wants, not just your needs." "It becomes increasingly hard for many families to be able to attain that sort of middle-class lifestyle, that American Dream," Gould said. Consumers using the popular 50-30-20 budget guideline aim to spend 50% of their income on essential expenses, with another 30% for discretionary spending and the remaining 20% for savings. Using that framework, GoBankingRates found that all 50 states require more than a $100,000 annual income, according to the report, with 38 states needing more than $140,000.

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Persons: Sabrina Romanoff, haven't, Elise Gould, Gould, GoBankingRates, Jason Reginato Organizations: CNBC, SurveyMonkey, Economic Policy Institute, Consumers