The Gap Between the Middle Class and Top 5% in Every State

A sizable financial gap, not surprisingly, exists between the middle class and the top 5% in every U.S. state. A gap of at least $40,000 sits between the high end of the middle class and the low end of the top 5%, according to a new study from GOBankingRates. 

To determine the difference between the middle class and top 5%, GOBankingRates referred to the Pew Research Center’s definition of middle-class as two-thirds to double the income of a given area. We found each state’s median household income, the lowest limit to be considered in the top 5% and the average income of the top 5% by sourcing the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 1-Year American Community Survey results.

• 12 states have a $100,000+ gap between the middle class and top 5%. From highest to lowest gap amount, they are Louisiana ($116,510), New Mexico ($112,067), Alabama ($108,856), Missouri ($106,822), Tennessee ($106,006), Ohio ($105,576), South Carolina ($105,300), Michigan ($105,222), Kentucky ($103,421), North Carolina ($102,084), Indiana ($102,052) and Oklahoma ($101,853) 
• Only five states have a gap of under $50,000. California ($49,702), Hawaii ($48,510), Maryland ($44,190), New Jersey ($41,412) and Massachusetts ($40,344) are also the top five states with the highest median household incomes.
• The high end of middle-class income is more than $118,000 in every state, and more than $200,000 in just five states. These states are Massachusetts ($209,656), New Jersey ($208,588), Maryland ($205,810), Hawaii ($201,490) and California ($200,298).

See the gap between the middle class and top 5% in every state below. Plus, review the 50 wealthiest suburbs in America.

• Median household income: $66,659
• High end of middle-class income: $133,318
• Low end of top 5% income: $242,174
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $108,856

• Median household income: $95,665
• High end of middle-class income: $191,330
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $58,670

• Median household income: $81,486
• High end of middle-class income: $162,972
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $87,028

• Median household income: $62,106
• High end of middle-class income: $124,212
• Low end of top 5% income: $222,040
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $97,828

• Median household income: $100,149
• High end of middle-class income: $200,298
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $49,702

• Median household income: $97,113
• High end of middle-class income: $194,226
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $55,774

• Median household income: $96,049
• High end of middle-class income: $192,098
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $57,902

• Median household income: $87,534
• High end of middle-class income: $175,068
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $74,932

• Median household income: $77,735
• High end of middle-class income: $155,470
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $94,530

• Median household income: $79,991
• High end of middle-class income: $159,982
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $90,018

• Median household income: $100,745
• High end of middle-class income: $201,490
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $48,510

• Median household income: $81,166
• High end of middle-class income: $162,332
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $87,668

• Median household income: $83,211
• High end of middle-class income: $166,422
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $83,578

• Median household income: $71,959
• High end of middle-class income: $143,918
• Low end of top 5% income: $245,970
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $102,052

• Median household income: $75,501
• High end of middle-class income: $151,002
• Low end of top 5% income: $243,236
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $92,234

• Median household income: $75,514
• High end of middle-class income: $151,028
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $98,972

• Median household income: $64,526
• High end of middle-class income: $129,052
• Low end of top 5% income: $232,473
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $103,421

• Median household income: $60,986
• High end of middle-class income: $121,972
• Low end of top 5% income: $238,482
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $116,510

• Median household income: $76,442
• High end of middle-class income: $152,884
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $97,116

• Median household income: $102,905
• High end of middle-class income: $205,810
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $44,190

• Median household income: $104,828
• High end of middle-class income: $209,656
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $40,344

• Median household income: $72,389
• High end of middle-class income: $144,778
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $105,222

• Median household income: $87,117
• High end of middle-class income: $174,234
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $75,766

• Median household income: $59,127
• High end of middle-class income: 118,254
• Low end of top 5% income: $211,589
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $93,335

• Median household income: $71,589
• High end of middle-class income: $143,178
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $106,822

• Median household income: $75,340
• High end of middle-class income: $150,680
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $99,320

• Median household income: $76,376
• High end of middle-class income: $152,752
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $97,248

• Median household income: $81,134
• High end of middle-class income: $162,268
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $87,732

• Median household income: $99,782
• High end of middle-class income: $199,564
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $50,436

• Median household income: $104,294
• High end of middle-class income: $208,588
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $41,412

• Median household income: $67,816
• High end of middle-class income: $135,632
• Low end of top 5% income: $247,699
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $112,067

• Median household income: $85,820
• High end of middle-class income: $171,640
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $78,360

• Median household income: $73,958
• High end of middle-class income: $147,916
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $102,084

• Median household income: $77,871
• High end of middle-class income: $155,742
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $94,258

• Median household income: $72,212
• High end of middle-class income: $144,424
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $105,576

• Median household income: $66,148
• High end of middle-class income: $132,296
• Low end of top 5% income: $234,149
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $101,853

• Median household income: $85,220
• High end of middle-class income: $170,440
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $79,560

• Median household income: $77,545
• High end of middle-class income: $155,090
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $94,910

• Median household income: $83,504
• High end of middle-class income: $167,008
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $82,992

• Median household income: $72,350
• High end of middle-class income: $144,700
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $105,300

• Median household income: $76,881
• High end of middle-class income: $153,762
• Low end of top 5% income: $246,023
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $92,261

• Median household income: $71,997
• High end of middle-class income: $143,994
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $106,006

• Median household income: $79,721
• High end of middle-class income: $159,442
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $90,558

• Median household income: $96,658
• High end of middle-class income: $193,316
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $56,684

• Median household income: $82,730
• High end of middle-class income: $165,460
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $84,540

• Median household income: $92,090
• High end of middle-class income: $184,180
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $65,820

• Median household income: $99,389
• High end of middle-class income: $198,778
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $51,222

• Median household income: $60,798
• High end of middle-class income: $121,596
• Low end of top 5% income: $212,375
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $90,779

• Median household income: $77,488
• High end of middle-class income: $154,976
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $95,024

• Median household income: $75,532
• High end of middle-class income: $151,064
• Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
• Gap between middle class and top 5%: $98,936

Discover more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Methodology: For this piece GOBankingRates used the 2024 1-Year American Community Survey results as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to find the median household income, lowest limit to be considered top 5% and the average income of the top 5% for every state. The middle class was defined by the Pew Research Center as two-thirds to double the income. All data is up to date as of Dec. 16, 2025.