Here’s the Income Needed To Be in the Top 1% in All 50 States

What does it take to be in the 1%? The answer really depends on where you live.

To find out the income needed to be considered a part of the 1% in every state, GOBankingRates looked at IRS data for Tax Year 2021 — the latest data available — and adjusted these figures into 2024 dollars.

In some states, you need to earn over $1 million to be a part of the 1%, while in others, you can earn less than half a million dollars and qualify. Here’s a look at the income needed to be in the 1% in every state, ranked from the highest salary threshold to the lowest.

Key Findings

• The income needed to be in the top 1% is more than $1,000,000 in five states — Connecticut, Massachusetts, California, Washington and New Jersey.
• Meanwhile, the income needed to be in the top 1% is below $500,000 in just three states — New Mexico, Mississippi and West Virginia.
• Somewhat surprisingly, the Northeast beats out the West Coast for the highest incomes needed to crack the top 1% — Massachusetts and Connecticut rank ahead of California.

• Top 1% income threshold: $1,192,947

• Top 1% income threshold: $1,152,992

• Top 1% income threshold: $1,072,248

• Top 1% income threshold: $1,024,599

• Top 1% income threshold: $1,010,101

• Top 1% income threshold: $999,747

• Top 1% income threshold: $896,273

• Top 1% income threshold: $882,302

• Top 1% income threshold: $872,896

• Top 1% income threshold: $839,742

• Top 1% income threshold: $811,929

• Top 1% income threshold: $811,004

• Top 1% income threshold: $804,627

• Top 1% income threshold: $789,003

• Top 1% income threshold: $787,471

• Top 1% income threshold: $767,688

• Top 1% income threshold: $755,880

• Top 1% income threshold: $752,849

• Top 1% income threshold: $741,182

• Top 1% income threshold: $728,859

• Top 1% income threshold: $725,284

• Top 1% income threshold: $720,778

• Top 1% income threshold: $713,264

• Top 1% income threshold: $708,284

• Top 1% income threshold: $707,296

• Top 1% income threshold: $702,934

• Top 1% income threshold: $688,506

• Top 1% income threshold: $674,225

• Top 1% income threshold: $673,902

• Top 1% income threshold: $651,641

• Top 1% income threshold: $645,255

• Top 1% income threshold: $642,707

• Top 1% income threshold: $640,330

• Top 1% income threshold: $632,805

• Top 1% income threshold: $631,993

• Top 1% income threshold: $631,383

• Top 1% income threshold: $625,158

• Top 1% income threshold: $610,837

• Top 1% income threshold: $609,173

• Top 1% income threshold: $608,143

• Top 1% income threshold: $601,685

• Top 1% income threshold: $591,921

• Top 1% income threshold: $577,017

• Top 1% income threshold: $572,403

• Top 1% income threshold: $559,981

• Top 1% income threshold: $550,469

• Top 1% income threshold: $532,013

• Top 1% income threshold: $493,013

• Top 1% income threshold: $456,309

• Top 1% income threshold: $435,302

Methodology: GOBankingRates used the latest IRS tax return data (2021 data for 2022 returns) to find the top 1% income threshold for every state. All data was compiled on and is up to date as of July 12, 2024.