The Salary Needed To Crack the Top 5% in America’s 50 Largest Cities

In the richest major cities in America, you need to earn a minimum of nearly $270,000 to be considered part of the top 5% of earners. But in some major cities, you can earn under $200,000 and still be considered part of the top 5%.

To determine what it takes to be in the top 5% of earners in major cities across the country, GOBankingRates used the latest U.S. Census Bureau income data for the 50 biggest cities in terms of total population and calculated both the top 5% income lower limit and the top 5% income average. All salary figures are adjusted to 2024 dollars.

Here’s a look at what it takes to be in the top 5% of earners in America’s 50 most-populated cities.

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $1,007,363
• Average household income: $212,115

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $820,758
• Average household income: $138,573

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $775,803
• Average household income: $193,252

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $773,332
• Average household income: $173,740

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $772,837
• Average household income: $161,489

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $746,353
• Average household income: $131,806

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $727,746
• Average household income: $142,381

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $691,594
• Average household income: $149,858

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $667,861
• Average household income: $125,675

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $644,063
• Average household income: $122,077

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $625,097
• Average household income: $131,917

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $614,755
• Average household income: $142,407

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $614,090
• Average household income: $109,624

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $607,976
• Average household income: $131,598

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $606,052
• Average household income: $116,418

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $577,812
• Average household income: $104,719

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $565,658
• Average household income: $120,462

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $563,805
• Average household income: $96,889

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $552,377
• Average household income: $117,099

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $550,487
• Average household income: $126,455

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $535,176
• Average household income: $109,876

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $502,395
• Average household income: $121,835

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $501,628
• Average household income: $105,044

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $266,010
• Top 5% average income: $487,642
• Average household income: $93,044

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $486,335
• Average household income: $107,302

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $265,424
• Top 5% average income: $481,810
• Average household income: $100,482

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $457,729
• Average household income: $112,084

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $453,412
• Average household income: $106,666

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $257,073
• Top 5% average income: $449,726
• Average household income: $90,725

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $259,773
• Top 5% average income: $449,370
• Average household income: $92,253

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $252,960
• Top 5% average income: $443,524
• Average household income: $95,149

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $442,133
• Average household income: $109,748

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,622+
• Top 5% average income: $439,505
• Average household income: $109,876

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $268,413
• Top 5% average income: $436,906
• Average household income: $104,469

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $225,844
• Top 5% average income: $431,508
• Average household income: $79,702

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $229,303
• Top 5% average income: $426,971
• Average household income: $90,768

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $242,207
• Top 5% average income: $425,024
• Average household income: $93,888

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $253,883
• Top 5% average income: $424,418
• Average household income: $95,269

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $236,126
• Top 5% average income: $411,336
• Average household income: $88,858

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $243,296
• Top 5% average income: $408,157
• Average household income: $92,269

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $253,799
• Top 5% average income: $408,068
• Average household income: $102,506

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $242,102
• Top 5% average income: $406,950
• Average household income: $94,201

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $249,607
• Top 5% average income: $385,600
• Average household income: $99,480

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $241,576
• Top 5% average income: $381,936
• Average household income: $89,913

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $225,530
• Top 5% average income: $369,789
• Average household income: $86,296

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $223,479
• Top 5% average income: $354,930
• Average household income: $88,412

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $213,298
• Top 5% average income: $350,558
• Average household income: $80,963

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $185,248
• Top 5% average income: $311,015
• Average household income: $72,041

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $196,676
• Top 5% average income: $304,703
• Average household income: $74,735

• Income needed to be in the top 5%: $161,449
• Top 5% average income: $272,681
• Average household income: $58,081

Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates used the 2022 American Community Survey as conducted by the US Census Bureau to find the following for the 50 biggest cities in terms of total population: (1) population; (2) top 5% income lower limit; (3) top 5% income average; (4) share of household income by the top 5%; (5) median household income; and (6) average household income. All data was collected and up to date as of July 2, 2024.