Here’s How Much You Need To Earn To Be ‘Rich’ on the East Coast

The cost of living in America is dependent on where you live — and thus the salary needed to be considered wealthy also depends on where your home state is.

GOBankingRates recently conducted a survey of the top incomes in every state to determine what qualifies as the top 20% and the top 5% in each. Most of the East Coast states required at least $140,000 to stand among the top 20%.

Find out how much money you need to be “rich” on the East Coast.

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $189,778
• Average income of the top 20%: $358,875
• Average income of the top 5%: $676,016

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $157,599
• Average income of the top 20%: $266,218
• Average income of the top 5%: $463,843

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $141,755
• Average income of the top 20%: $266,051
• Average income of the top 5%: $499,610

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $148,795
• Average income of the top 20%: $264,953
• Average income of the top 5%: $472,175

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $138,318
• Average income of the top 20%: $237,505
• Average income of the top 5%: $418,624

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $195,516
• Average income of the top 20%: $327,400
• Average income of the top 5%: $554,828

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $205,889
• Average income of the top 20%: $364,076
• Average income of the top 5%: $642,510

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $178,658
• Average income of the top 20%: $297,363
• Average income of the top 5%: $507,282

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $203,882
• Average income of the top 20%: $359,314
• Average income of the top 5%: $632,685

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $178,953
• Average income of the top 20%: $342,150
• Average income of the top 5%: $646,648

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $139,072
• Average income of the top 20%: $249,042
• Average income of top 5%: $446,248

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $163,286
• Average income of the top 20%: $276,548
• Average income of the top 5%: $477,607

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $150,592
• Average income of the top 20%: $266,309
• Average income of the top 5%: $473,542

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $132,847
• Average income of the top 20%: $237,160
• Average income of the top 5%: $428,094

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $150,413
• Average income of the top 20%: $252,655
• Average income of top 5%: $434,633

• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 20%: $182,550
• Average income of the top 20%: $316,724
• Average income of the top 5%: $547,015

Methodology: GOBankingRates used the United States Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey income quintile data to find each state’s (1) lowest income to be considered in the top 20% income bracket; (2) the average income of the richest 20% and (3) the average income of the richest 5%. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Feb. 3, 2025.