According to https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/48/locations https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/48/locations (based on https://livingwage.mit.edu/resources/Living

According to https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/48/locations https://livingwage.mit.edu/states/48/locations (based on https://livingwage.mit.edu/resources/Living-Wage-Users-Guide-Technical-Documentation-2021-05-21.pdf https://livingwage.mit.edu/resources/Living-Wage-Users-Guide...), $1MM invested (excluding equity in a primary residence) would certainly be enough in many areas, especially the midwest and southeast. On $1MM, one can almost certainly safely take out $35k/year (after taxes on any gains) and still grow the portfolio (so as to offset inflation). That's definitely sufficient to support the barest minimum of "lower middle class" living expenses. Without kids. Add a kid and it blows right up. But, yes, to support an upper middle class style of living one would certainly need more.