How do rich people know when they’re officially rich? A place among the top 5% income earners in their state is a good place to start. The 5-percent club in some states, however, is much, much harder to crack into than in others.
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To determine what it takes to be rich, GOBankingRates used data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey to determine the average income for each state compared to that of its top-earning 5%.
Here’s a look at how much you need to be “rich” in each state , and how much more you’ll earn than the average person when you get there.
Last updated: March 2, 2021
Birmingham, Alabama, USA - April 25, 2012: People partake in group exercise under the pavilion at Railroad Park. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $189,695
Average household income for the top 5%: $311,208
Average household income for the entire state: $71,478
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
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alaska How much you need to be in the top 5%: $242,208
Average household income for the top 5%: $387,399
Average household income for the entire state: $98,504
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 3.9x
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Tucson, Arizona, USA downtown skyline with Sentinel Peak at dusk. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $220,936
Average household income for the top 5%: $367,580
Average household income for the entire state: $84,438
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
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Little Rock Arkansas How much you need to be in the top 5%: $176,997
Average household income for the top 5%: $315,234
Average household income for the entire state: $68,219
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
Financial district of San Francisco at sunrise. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $531,014
Average household income for the entire state: $113,563
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.7x
Castle Rock Colorado How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $450,609
Average household income for the entire state: $103,518
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
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Hartford Connecticut How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $579,711
Average household income for the entire state: $114,630
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 5.1x
beach in Lewes Delaware at sunset How much you need to be in the top 5%: $235,059
Average household income for the top 5%: $387,937
Average household income for the entire state: $92,445
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
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Sarasota, Florida, USA downtown skyline on the bay at sunrise. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $226,319
Average household income for the top 5%: $404,254
Average household income for the entire state: $83,883
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.8x
View of the Atlanta skyline on a beautiful night. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $233,979
Average household income for the top 5%: $402,002
Average household income for the entire state: $86,468
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
Honolulu Hawaii How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $423,529
Average household income for the entire state: $106,247
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4x
Deer Creek in Hailey Idaho How much you need to be in the top 5%: $199,218
Average household income for the top 5%: $325,365
Average household income for the entire state: $78,975
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.1x
Chicago downtown skyline and the blue sky. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $442,476
Average household income for the entire state: $95,725
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
Indianapolis Indiana skyline at dusk How much you need to be in the top 5%: $194,407
Average household income for the top 5%: $348,590
Average household income for the entire state: $78,064
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.5x
Aerial image of single family homes in Bettendorf Iowa USA. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $199,328
Average household income for the top 5%: $339,126
Average household income for the entire state: $80,267
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
WICHITA, KANSAS How much you need to be in the top 5%: $211,256
Average household income for the top 5%: $350,796
Average household income for the entire state: $82,270
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.3x
Louisville, Kentucky How much you need to be in the top 5%: $185,241
Average household income for the top 5%: $333,777
Average household income for the entire state: $72,215
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
New Orleans Louisiana How much you need to be in the top 5%: $199,417
Average household income for the top 5%: $336,976
Average household income for the entire state: $72,658
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
Portland, Maine, USA coastal townscape. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $202,639
Average household income for the top 5%: $327,475
Average household income for the entire state: $78,303
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
Baltimore Maryland skyline How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $478,927
Average household income for the entire state: $114,089
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
Sailboats on the Charles River with Boston's Back Bay skyline in the background. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $526,243
Average household income for the entire state: $117,482
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.5x
Beautiful skyline of Detroit city, photos taken from Canadian side, Windsor, Ontario. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $209,099
Average household income for the top 5%: $356,455
Average household income for the entire state: $80,681
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
Aerial Shot of Downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota at Sunset How much you need to be in the top 5%: $244,552
Average household income for the top 5%: $406,818
Average household income for the entire state: $96,995
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
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Biloxi Mississippi How much you need to be in the top 5%: $172,337
Average household income for the top 5%: $304,820
Average household income for the entire state: $65,081
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.7x
Downtown Kansas City skyline with Penn Valley Park in the foreground and a vivid blue sky in the background. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $201,541
Average household income for the top 5%: $345,545
Average household income for the entire state: $77,885
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
Missoula from Mount Sentinel, in Missoula, Montana. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $187,867
Average household income for the top 5%: $350,655
Average household income for the entire state: $77,320
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.5x
Downtown Omaha skyline with the Heartland of America Park, including a large fountain, in the foreground. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $203,793
Average household income for the top 5%: $343,133
Average household income for the entire state: $82,539
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
Las Vegas Nevada and the Luxor hotel How much you need to be in the top 5%: $221,626
Average household income for the top 5%: $415,695
Average household income for the entire state: $86,946
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.8x
Lincoln is a town in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $412,033
Average household income for the entire state: $100,882
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.1x
Large group of sailing yachts at the Manhattan Yacht Club marina, off Morris Canal Basin, at Marin Boulevard, Jersey City, New York State, USA. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $540,499
Average household income for the entire state: $119,301
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.5x
dusk city shot in Santa Fe New Mexico How much you need to be in the top 5%: $192,480
Average household income for the top 5%: $314,941
Average household income for the entire state: $71,591
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
Lower Manhattan cityscape. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $553,773
Average household income for the entire state: $107,355
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 5.2x
A foggy and colorful sunrise in Charlotte, North Carolina during the morning rush hour traffic. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $213,009
Average household income for the top 5%: $367,316
Average household income for the entire state: $80,037
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
Fargo, North Dakota How much you need to be in the top 5%: $220,611
Average household income for the top 5%: $373,709
Average household income for the entire state: $85,551
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
downtown Toledo Ohio's skyline at sunset from across the Maumee river. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $204,940
Average household income for the top 5%: $354,673
Average household income for the entire state: $79,505
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.5x
Oklahoma City Oklahoma How much you need to be in the top 5%: $194,523
Average household income for the top 5%: $352,070
Average household income for the entire state: $75,537
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.7x
Portland, Oregon, USA skyline at dusk with Mt. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $229,747
Average household income for the top 5%: $365,465
Average household income for the entire state: $88,449
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.1x
Skyline of downtown Philadelphia at sunset USA. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $233,467
Average household income for the top 5%: $403,160
Average household income for the entire state: $87,789
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
Providence, Rhode Island How much you need to be in the top 5%: $235,524
Average household income for the top 5%: $406,567
Average household income for the entire state: $92,553
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.4x
Myrtle Beach South Carolina at sunset How much you need to be in the top 5%: $204,826
Average household income for the top 5%: $355,363
Average household income for the entire state: $78,188
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.5x
Sioux Falls South Dakota How much you need to be in the top 5%: $190,156
Average household income for the top 5%: $317,665
Average household income for the entire state: $77,650
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.1x
Nashville TN Skyline with Cumberland river in view. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $205,063
Average household income for the top 5%: $366,578
Average household income for the entire state: $78,035
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.7x
view of the skyline of Dallas financial district during a beautiful bright blue day. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $241,212
Average household income for the top 5%: $408,263
Average household income for the entire state: $89,681
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.6x
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Salt lake City downtown and snow capped mountain. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $235,835
Average household income for the top 5%: $403,396
Average household income for the entire state: $96,415
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
The village of South Peacham nestled in the hill side of Vermont. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $212,823
Average household income for the top 5%: $343,288
Average household income for the entire state: $83,015
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.1x
Downtown Richmond, Virginia On A Sunny Winter Day. How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $455,891
Average household income for the entire state: $105,091
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.3x
A scenic view of the Space Needle in Seattle, WA and the Mt. Rainier How much you need to be in the top 5%: $250,000
Average household income for the top 5%: $457,171
Average household income for the entire state: $105,775
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.3x
sunset over Charleston West Virginia How much you need to be in the top 5%: $171,816
Average household income for the top 5%: $280,030
Average household income for the entire state: $65,842
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.3x
Milwaukee Wisconsin How much you need to be in the top 5%: $202,582
Average household income for the top 5%: $345,564
Average household income for the entire state: $82,899
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.2x
Jackson Hole, Wyoming downtown How much you need to be in the top 5%: $199,944
Average household income for the top 5%: $339,640
Average household income for the entire state: $83,155
How much more the average 5% makes than the average person: 4.1x
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John Csiszar contributed to the reporting of this article.
Methodology: GOBankingRates found how much a household has to make pre-tax to be in the top 5% highest-earning households in each state by analyzing the Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey (ACS). GOBankingRates took the 2019 ACS data on “Household Income Quintile Upper Limits” and found each state’s (1) lower income limit of the top-5 percent of households. Supplemental data compiled includes (2) average household income of the top 5%; (3) average household income for the entire state; and (4) how much more the average 5% household makes than the overall average household in each state. All data were collected on and up to date as of November 19, 2020.
Data are accurate as of Dec. 2, 2020, and is subject to change.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com : How Much You Need To Be in the Top 5% in Every State
