How Much You Need To Be ‘Rich’ in 50 Major US Cities in 2024

What it means to be rich varies by a lot of factors including income, lifestyle and, more specifically, region. Your money goes a lot farther in some areas of the country, but one thing is certain: In the most populated cities in the United States, to be considered “rich,” you’ve got to earn at least six figures per year. 

What used to seem like a rich salary may not buy what it used to, due to inflation. While inflation has come down from its peak of 9.1% in June 2022, it’s still hovering at 3.5%, which is more than the Fed’s preferred rate of 2%.

To dig deeper into the numbers, GOBankingRates found the the income a household would have to earn to be considered rich, as sourced from the U.S. Census American Community Survey. The total population, total households and mean household income were also found. The states were sorted by mean income for the top 20% and the top 5%. Any income upper limits over $250,000 are marked as $250,000+. States like California, Colorado, Texas and Florida had the most cities on this list.

Also see how much you need to earn to live comfortably in 50 cities.

• The top 5% are earning an average income of $500,000+ in 22 cities.
• The top 5% in San Francisco are earning more than $683,000 than the top 5% in Detroit.
• In five California cities, the top 5% earn over $570,000 per year.

• Population: 851,036 
• Mean household income: $197,408 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $250,000+ 
• Average income of the top 20%: $532,010 
• Average income of the top 5%: $937,518 

• Population: 494,838 
• Mean household income: $128,965 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $175,779 
• Average income of the top 20%: $384,230 
• Average income of the top 5%: $763,851 

• Population: 1,001,176
• Mean household income: $179,853 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $250,000+
• Average income of the top 20%: $441,439 
• Average income of the top 5%: $722,013

• Population: 734,603 
• Mean household income: $161,694 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $239,417 
• Average income of the top 20%: $417,847 
• Average income of the top 5%: $719,713 

• Population: 670,587 
• Mean household income: $150,292 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $226,254 
• Average income of the top 20%: $405,867 
• Average income of the top 5%: $719,253 

• Population: 8,622,467 
• Mean household income: $122,667 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $172,300 
• Average income of the top 20%:  $351,944 
• Average income of the top 5%: $694,605 

• Population: 665,945 
• Mean household income: $132,509 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $196,892 
• Average income of the top 20%: $366,452 
• Average income of the top 5%: $677,288 

• Population: 437,825 
• Mean household income: $139,468 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $210,026 
• Average income of the top 20%:  $372,428 
• Average income of the top 5%: $643,643

• Population: 3,881,041 
• Mean household income: $116,961 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $164,925 
• Average income of the top 20%: $324,962 
• Average income of the top 5%: $621,555 

• Population: 388,768 
• Mean household income: $109,168 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $150,615 
• Average income of the top 20%: $314,166 
• Average income of the top 5%: $605,027 

• Population: 875,045 
• Mean household income: $113,613 
• Lowest income to be “rich” (top 20%): $153,226 
• Average income of the top 20%: $308,225 
• Average income of the top 5%: $599,407 

• Population: 710,800 
• Mean household income: $122,771 
• Lowest income to be “rich” (top 20%): $173,814 
• Average income of the top 20%: $319,835 
• Average income of the top 5%: $581,756 

• Population: 1,383,987 
• Mean household income: $132,533 
• Lowest income to be “rich” (top 20%): $191,790 
• Average income of the top 20%: $330,968 
• Average income of the top 5%: $572,131 

• Population: 1,300,642 
• Mean household income: $102,023 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $136,833  
• Average income of the top 20%: $290,200 
• Average income of the top 5%: $571,512 

• Population: 958,202 
• Mean household income: $122,474 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $173,800 
• Average income of the top 20%: $315,243 
• Average income of the top 5%: $565,822 

• Population: 2,721,914 
• Mean household income: $108,346 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $155,644 
• Average income of the top 20%: $299,962 
• Average income of the top 5%: $564,032 

• Population: 2,296,253 
• Mean household income: $97,458 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%):  $132,911 
• Average income of the top 20%:  $276,765 
• Average income of the top 5%: $537,750 

• Population: 465,517 
• Mean household income: $112,110 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $159,624 
• Average income of the top 20%: $289,058 
• Average income of the top 5%: $526,438 

• Population: 443,665 
• Mean household income: $90,171 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $124,103 
• Average income of the top 20%: $263,749 
• Average income of the top 5%: $524,714 

• Population: 426,877 
• Mean household income: $108,980 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $156,962 
• Average income of the top 20%:  $285,378 
• Average income of the top 5%: $514,078

• Population: 646,101 
• Mean household income: $117,687 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $171,554 
• Average income of the top 20%: $297,608 
• Average income of the top 5%: $512,319 

• Population: 457,900 
• Mean household income: $113,388 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $158,712 
• Average income of the top 20%: $268,826 
• Average income of the top 5%: $467,562 

• Population: 489,201
• Mean household income: $97,761 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $135,647 
• Average income of the top 20%: $250,745 
• Average income of the top 5%: $466,848 

• Population: 411,938 
• Mean household income: $86,593 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $119,444 
• Average income of the top 20%: $236,249 
• Average income of the top 5%: $453,832 

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• Population: 1,609,456 
• Mean household income: $99,862 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $140,280 
• Average income of the top 20%: $252,462 
• Average income of the top 5%: $452,615

• Population: 644,835 
• Mean household income: $93,515 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $131,105 
• Average income of the top 20%: $242,057 
• Average income of the top 5%: $448,404 

• Population: 462,293 
• Mean household income: $104,313 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $154,067 
• Average income of the top 20%: $256,517 
• Average income of the top 5%: $425,993 

• Population:  404,321
• Mean household income: $99,270 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $144,102 
• Average income of the top 20%: $244,729 
• Average income of the top 5%: $421,975 

• Population: 1,593,208 
• Mean household income: $84,435 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $122,031 
• Average income of the top 20%: $229,214 
• Average income of the top 5%: $418,544 

• Population: 584,548 
• Mean household income: $85,857 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $124,931 
• Average income of the top 20%: $232,360 
• Average income of the top 5%: $418,213 

• Population: 479,612 
• Mean household income: $102,139 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $146,151 
• Average income of the top 20%: $243,601 
• Average income of the top 5%: $411,478 

• Population: 523,600 
• Mean household income: $102,258 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $149,820 
• Average income of the top 20%: $248,291 
• Average income of the top 5%: $409,032

• Population: 924,663 
• Mean household income: $97,226 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $141,354 
• Average income of the top 20%: $236,753 
• Average income of the top 5%: $406,613 

• Population: 630,027 
• Mean household income: $74,176 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $103,177 
• Average income of the top 20%: $205,876 
• Average income of the top 5%: $401,590 

• Population: 395,951 
• Mean household income: $84,475 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $119,155 
• Average income of the top 20%: $215,255 
• Average income of the top 5%: $397,367 

• Population: 950,203 
• Mean household income: $87,378 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $123,582 
• Average income of the top 20%: $219,026 
• Average income of the top 5%: $395,555 

• Population: 387,349 
• Mean household income: $101,182 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $145,377 
• Average income of the top 20%: $236,075 
• Average income of the top 5%: $395,111 

• Population: 681,088 
• Mean household income: $88,664 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $126,695 
• Average income of the top 20%: $223,674 
• Average income of the top 5%: $394,991

• Population: 882,006 
• Mean household income: $82,697 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $117,890 
• Average income of the top 20%: $211,280 
• Average income of the top 5%: $382,816 

• Population: 541,528
• Mean household income: $85,872 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $126,949 
• Average income of the top 20%: $218,549 
• Average income of the top 5%: $379,858 

• Population: 503,390 
• Mean household income: $95,399 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $135,842 
• Average income of the top 20%: $224,556 
• Average income of the top 5%: $379,775

• Population: 505,958
• Mean household income: $87,670 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $129,274 
• Average income of the top 20%: $217,757 
• Average income of the top 5%: $378,734 

• Population: 393,469 
• Mean household income: $92,583 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $136,970 
• Average income of the top 20%: $218,633 
• Average income of the top 5%: $358,865 

• Population: 562,551 
• Mean household income: $83,679 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $124,852 
• Average income of the top 20%: $209,122 
• Average income of the top 5%: $355,455 

• Population: 1,445,662 
• Mean household income: $80,313 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $117,080 
• Average income of the top 20%: $199,993 
• Average income of the top 5%: $344,150

• Population: 902,449 
• Mean household income: $82,282 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $120,516 
• Average income of the top 20%: $197,025 
• Average income of the top 5%: $330,321 

• Population: 677,181 
• Mean household income: $75,349 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $113,003 
• Average income of the top 20%: $189,986 
• Average income of the top 5%: $326,252 

• Population: 573,299 
• Mean household income: $67,046 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $99,086 
• Average income of the top 20%: $167,912 
• Average income of the top 5%: $289,451 

• Population: 541,033 
• Mean household income: $69,553 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $102,207 
• Average income of the top 20%: $169,876 
• Average income of the top 5%: $283,577

• Population: 636,787 
• Mean household income: $54,054 
• Lowest income to be considered “rich” (top 20%): $80,958 
• Average income of the top 20%: $143,982 
• Average income of the top 5%: $253,775 

Bob Haegele contributed to the reporting for this article.

Methodology: For this study, GOBankingRates found the the income a household would have to earn to be considered rich. First GOBankingRates found the household income by quintile and the quintile upper limits both sourced from the US Census American Community Survey. The total population, total households, and mean household income were also found from the US Census American Community Survey. The states were sorted by mean income for top 20%. Any income upper limits over $250,000 are marked as $250,000+. All data was collected on and is up to date as of April 9, 2024.