Here’s How Much You Need To Earn To Be ‘Rich’ in Every State

Comedian Chris Rock has an old joke about how bad Bill Gates would feel if he woke up one day with Oprah’s money. The point was that “rich” is a subjective term. The same holds true if you make a lot of money in America–where you live has a lot to do with whether you can think of yourself as truly wealthy.

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To get an idea of what it means to be rich in America, GOBankingRates used IRS data to conduct a study of the top incomes as they break down by state. It lays out what income level is needed to place you in the top 5% and the top 1% of incomes within your state. Keep reading to find out if you’re rich.

Check out how much money you need to be “rich” in your state. 

Last updated: Mar. 4,2021

Wyoming

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $675,561
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $194,473
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $2,245,174
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $188,693

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Vermont

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $406,076
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $188,144
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,002,454
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $226,489

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Alaska

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $410,354
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $210,294
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $936,890
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $238,671

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North Dakota

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $464,179
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $203,849
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,173,821
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $250,253

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South Dakota

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $494,910
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $185,567
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,414,152
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $285,414

Delaware

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $436,983
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $202,834
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,095,713
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $326,408

Montana

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $417,789
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $179,579
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,078,275
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $352,036

Rhode Island

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $456,877
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $201,027
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,187,791
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $371,024

Maine

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $369,120
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $177,784
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $870,414
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $461,534

New Hampshire

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $547,212
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $232,884
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,460,801
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $486,812

Hawaii

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $393,244
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $194,185
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $929,822
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $486,885

West Virginia

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $296,752
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $156,296
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $667,368
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $536,706

Idaho

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $429,389
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $180,694
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,138,855
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $542,846

Nebraska

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $437,912
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $189,432
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,147,617
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $618,967

New Mexico

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $347,186
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $169,544
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $837,388
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $652,973

Mississippi

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $316,218
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $154,076
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $759,755
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $856,502

Arkansas

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $460,231
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $167,995
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,378,629
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $862,972

Kansas

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $480,214
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $195,014
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,314,656
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $916,179

Utah

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $517,405
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $198,875
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,461,523
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $929,210

Iowa

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $399,217
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $184,729
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $998,306
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,002,590

Nevada

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $653,809
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $187,250
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $2,184,285
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,021,773

Oklahoma

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $423,236
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $180,281
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,109,039
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,141,290

Connecticut

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $916,467
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $284,571
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $2,840,261
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,214,099

Kentucky

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $392,940
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $168,243
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,047,733
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,326,353

Louisiana

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $421,111
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $182,159
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,095,274
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,373,267

Oregon

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $469,205
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $208,235
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,193,735
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,375,913

Alabama

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $391,345
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $176,514
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $999,352
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,434,586

South Carolina

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $417,071
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $184,484
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,064,627
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,576,731

Minnesota

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $529,895
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $222,531
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,405,745
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,909,454

Colorado

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $601,099
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $241,394
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,645,616
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,921,517

Missouri

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $457,214
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $184,534
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,264,240
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,939,775

Wisconsin

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $447,181
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $186,922
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,203,326
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $1,973,354

Maryland

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $535,350
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $242,113
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,368,091
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $2,095,881

Tennessee

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $478,462
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $184,116
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,346,134
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $2,120,576

Indiana

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $396,034
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $176,199
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,017,307
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $2,162,591

Arizona

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $474,189
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $198,158
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,268,048
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $2,176,148

Massachusetts

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $842,977
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $287,128
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $2,539,953
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $2,380,834

Washington

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $654,926
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $258,985
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,801,457
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $2,542,112

Virginia

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $547,782
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $246,917
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,412,355
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $2,770,602

New Jersey

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $694,357
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $282,184
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,855,914
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $3,055,574

Georgia

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $510,511
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $205,702
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,386,410
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $3,180,691

North Carolina

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $460,030
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $199,164
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,188,279
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $3,227,607

Michigan

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $465,295
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $190,597
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,281,016
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $3,286,929

Ohio

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $420,927
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $180,485
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,100,839
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $3,871,661

Illinois

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $631,236
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $228,565
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,842,478
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $4,196,255

Pennsylvania

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $509,902
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $209,157
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,372,479
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $4,296,323

New York

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $844,193
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $242,506
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $2,739,623
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $6,805,717

Florida

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $682,615
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $203,827
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $2,190,557
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $7,140,788

Texas

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $585,405
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $216,799
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,681,737
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $8,751,910

California

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $758,257
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $266,020
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $2,238,758
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $12,715,259

United States

• Average adjusted gross income of the top 5%: $591,187
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 5%: $219,840
• Average adjusted gross income of the top 1%: $1,697,006
• The minimum you need to make to be in the top 1%: $545,978

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John Csiszar contributed to the reporting for this article. 

Methodology: GOBankingRates analyzed IRS data for the 2018 tax year to find (1) the average adjusted gross income of the top 5% of filers, (2) the adjusted gross income cutoff for the top 5% of filers, (3) the average adjusted gross income of the top 1% of filers, and (4) the adjusted gross income cutoff for the top 1% of filers. All data were collected on and up to date as of Feb. 16, 2021.

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.

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