Money

Here's How Much Money You Need to Earn to Be in the Top 1% in Every U.S. State

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Being considered rich isn't just about how much money you make, it's where you live, too.

State by state, the incomes the top 1% of earners in the U.S. bring in vary by over a half million dollars, according to a new analysis of 2022 incomes by personal finance website SmartAsset.

To be in the top 1% of earners in Connecticut, residents need an adjusted gross income of at least $955,261. However, in West Virginia, they only need to earn an AGI of $374,712 to be part of the top 1%.

For comparison, the median income for U.S. households overall is under $70,000, with only 10% of households earning more than $200,000, according to SmartAsset.

Coastal states like New York and California tend to have the highest earners, while top earners in more rural states like Mississippi and Arkansas make less. Only 12 states require annual earnings less than $500,000 to be considered in the top 1%.

To calculate these numbers, the analysis updated 2018 income data from the Internal Revenue Service using 2022 Consumer Price Index data to account for inflation. 

Below are the incomes needed to be part of both the top 1% and top 5% of earners in each state. States are listed in descending order, starting with the state with the highest income threshold for the top 1%.

Connecticut

  • Top 1% income threshold: $955,261
  • Top 5% income threshold: $336,866

Massachusetts

  • Top 1% income threshold: $896,932
  • Top 5% income threshold: $349,737

New Jersey

  • Top 1% income threshold: $825,965
  • Top 5% income threshold: $338,884

New York

  • Top 1% income threshold: $817,796
  • Top 5% income threshold: $287,752

California

  • Top 1% income threshold: $805,519
  • Top 5% income threshold: $317,791

Washington

  • Top 1% income threshold: $736,084
  • Top 5% income threshold: $312,907

Colorado

  • Top 1% income threshold: $682,897
  • Top 5% income threshold: $288,694

Florida

  • Top 1% income threshold: $678,816
  • Top 5% income threshold: $243,617

Illinois

  • Top 1% income threshold: $666,202
  • Top 5% income threshold: $271,049

Texas

  • Top 1% income threshold: $641,449
  • Top 5% income threshold: $258,369

Virginia

  • Top 1% income threshold: $635,705
  • Top 5% income threshold: $294,495

Wyoming

  • Top 1% income threshold: $635,458
  • Top 5% income threshold: $233,212

New Hampshire

  • Top 1% income threshold: $634,464
  • Top 5% income threshold: $281,154

Maryland

  • Top 1% income threshold: $634,255
  • Top 5% income threshold: $287,246

Minnesota

  • Top 1% income threshold: $616,326
  • Top 5% income threshold: $264,140

Pennsylvania

  • Top 1% income threshold: $591,900
  • Top 5% income threshold: $250,528

Georgia

  • Top 1% income threshold: $586,207
  • Top 5% income threshold: $242,967

North Dakota

  • Top 1% income threshold: $578,237
  • Top 5% income threshold: $240,797

Utah

  • Top 1% income threshold: $577,024
  • Top 5% income threshold: $239,222

Nevada

  • Top 1% income threshold: $571,593
  • Top 5% income threshold: $221,842

North Carolina

  • Top 1% income threshold: $554,221
  • Top 5% income threshold: $238,562

Oregon

  • Top 1% income threshold: $551,004
  • Top 5% income threshold: $246,539

South Dakota

  • Top 1% income threshold: $549,189
  • Top 5% income threshold: $219,642

Arizona

  • Top 1% income threshold: $546,798
  • Top 5% income threshold: $235,447

Rhode Island

  • Top 1% income threshold: $545,345
  • Top 5% income threshold: $240,792

Kansas

  • Top 1% income threshold: $539,002
  • Top 5% income threshold: $231,855

Tennessee

  • Top 1% income threshold: $535,065
  • Top 5% income threshold: $220,362

Alaska

  • Top 1% income threshold: $529,327
  • Top 5% income threshold: $250,103

Delaware

  • Top 1% income threshold: $526,858
  • Top 5% income threshold: $241,817

Wisconsin

  • Top 1% income threshold: $514,561
  • Top 5% income threshold: $223,102

Montana

  • Top 1% income threshold: $514,013
  • Top 5% income threshold: $216,789

Michigan

  • Top 1% income threshold: $511,240
  • Top 5% income threshold: $225,673

Nebraska

  • Top 1% income threshold: $510,981
  • Top 5% income threshold: $224,759

Idaho

  • Top 1% income threshold: $508,126
  • Top 5% income threshold: $217,945

South Carolina

  • Top 1% income threshold: $506,496
  • Top 5% income threshold: $219,743

Vermont

  • Top 1% income threshold: $502,425
  • Top 5% income threshold: $193,396

Missouri

  • Top 1% income threshold: $427,917
  • Top 5% income threshold: $186,671

Ohio

  • Top 1% income threshold: $422,373
  • Top 5% income threshold: $182,635

Louisiana

  • Top 1% income threshold: $417,948
  • Top 5% income threshold: $212,223

Hawaii

  • Top 1% income threshold: $487,092
  • Top 5% income threshold: $231,685

Maine

  • Top 1% income threshold: $486,893
  • Top 5% income threshold: $215,213

Oklahoma

  • Top 1% income threshold: $483,606
  • Top 5% income threshold: $210,109

Iowa

  • Top 1% income threshold: $474,160
  • Top 5% income threshold: $217,390

Indiana

  • Top 1% income threshold: $471,007
  • Top 5% income threshold: $208,917

Alabama

  • Top 1% income threshold: $466,719
  • Top 5% income threshold: $209,636

Kentucky

  • Top 1% income threshold: $447,370
  • Top 5% income threshold: $199,963

Arkansas

  • Top 1% income threshold: $446,276
  • Top 5% income threshold: $198,233

New Mexico

  • Top 1% income threshold: $418,970
  • Top 5% income threshold: $201,646

Mississippi

  • Top 1% income threshold: $383,128
  • Top 5% income threshold: $181,094

West Virginia

  • Top 1% income threshold: $374,712
  • Top 5% income threshold: $183,973

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