How Much You Need To Be in the Top 5% in Every State

See how much it takes to be in the richest 5% in each state.

By Andrew Lisa May 27, 2021 Understanding the Economy

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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: May 27, 2021

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Alabama

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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Arizona

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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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

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California

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

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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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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

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Delaware

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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Florida

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

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Georgia

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

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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

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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

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Illinois

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

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Indiana

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

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Iowa

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

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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

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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

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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

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Maine

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

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Maryland

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

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Massachusetts

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

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Michigan

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

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Minnesota

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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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

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Missouri

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

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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

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Nebraska

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

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Nevada

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

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New Hampshire

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

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New Jersey

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

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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

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New York

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

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North Carolina

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

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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

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Ohio

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

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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

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Oregon

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

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Pennsylvania

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

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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

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South Carolina

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

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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

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Tennessee

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

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Texas

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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Utah

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

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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

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Virginia

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

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Washington

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

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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

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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

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Wyoming

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. Data is accurate as of Dec. 2, 2020, and is subject to change.

About the Author

Andrew Lisa

Andrew Lisa has been writing professionally since 2001. An award-winning writer, Andrew was formerly one of the youngest nationally distributed columnists for the largest newspaper syndicate in the country, the Gannett News Service. He worked as the business section editor for amNewYork, the most widely distributed newspaper in Manhattan, and worked as a copy editor for TheStreet.com, a financial publication in the heart of Wall Street's investment community in New York City.