What income is upper middle class?
Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners household having incomes in the high 5-figure range.
Many have graduate degrees with educational attainment serving as the main distinguishing feature of this class. Household incomes commonly exceed $100,000, with some smaller one-income earners household having incomes in the high 5-figure range.
Across the entire country, that range is between $47,189 and $141,568, based on Census Bureau income data. But $150,000 is still a middle-class income by Pew's definition in nearly half of the country's 50 most-populated metropolitan areas, where incomes tend to be high.
Earning $300,000 a year is still considered middle class in this U.S. city—it's not New York or LA. Around half the American population is considered middle class, according to the most recent Pew Research data. But being middle class looks different depending on where you are.
In 2021, the top 1% earned more than twice the income of the top 5% nationwide. While the top 1% earned almost $600,000, you only needed to pull in $240,712 to crack the top 5% of U.S. earners, according to SmartAsset.
In 2021, the median household income is roughly $68,000. An upper class income is usually considered at least 50% higher than the median household income. Therefore, an upper class income in America is $100,000 and higher. However, an upper class income also depends on where you live.
Top 5% income
You'll start to see dramatic shifts in the top 5%, where the EPI found the average earners significantly increased to $343,000 in 2020, up from $324,000 the year before. While that's certainly a lot, there's a growing trend of even more cash flowing to — flooding even — those at the top of the heap.
| Annual household income in U.S. dollars | Percentage of U.S. households |
|---|---|
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 11.9% |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 15.9% |
| 150,000 to 199,999 | 8.3% |
| 200,000 and over | 11.6% |
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.
If you had an income of $200,000, that would put you in the top 10% of household incomes or the top 5% of individual incomes in 2021. Though I prefer household income over individual income, no matter how you cut it, $200k a year puts you on the higher end of the income spectrum.
How much Social Security will I get if I make $120000 a year?
The point is that if you earned $120,000 per year for the past 35 years, thanks to the annual maximum taxable wage limits, the maximum Social Security benefit you could get at full retirement age is $2,687.
On a $70,000 income, you'll likely be able to afford a home that costs $280,000–380,000. The exact amount will depend on how much debt you have and where you live — as well as the type of home loan you get.
Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.
Across the US, the average income for the top 2% of all earners is $206,000.
| Data | Top third | Top 3% |
|---|---|---|
| Household income | ||
| Lower threshold (annual gross income) | $65,000 | $200,000 |
| Exact percentage of households | 34.72% | 2.67% |
| Personal income (age 25+) | ||
| Age of head of family | Median net worth | Average net worth |
|---|---|---|
| 35-44 | $91,300 | $436,200 |
| 45-54 | $168,600 | $833,200 |
| 55-64 | $212,500 | $1,175,900 |
| 65-74 | $266,400 | $1,217,700 |
The term upper class is a socioeconomic term used to describe those who reside on the highest levels of the social ladder above the middle and working or lower classes. They generally have the highest status in society and hold a great deal of wealth.
In the United States, the upper class, as distinguished from the rich, is often considered to consist of those families that have for many generations enjoyed top social status based on their leadership in society—also referred to as old money.
The 2010 study found that money could only boost happiness up to a point — about $75,000 in annual earnings. Beyond that figure, the researchers concluded, money had little impact.
Landing in the top 10% is a fairly attainable goal for upwardly mobile Americans. A study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that the average earnings of those in the top 10% were roughly $173,000 in 2020.
How much income puts you in the top 20%?
They found that the top 20% of all Americans earn over $130,000 in income. Thats over 5 times more than the bottom 20%. While that's interesting in and of itself, what even more important is that the top 20% are also receiving over 50% of all the income earned in the country. Now that's BIG.
10 percent of the richest people in the United States own almost 70 percent of the country's total wealth. As of Q1 of 2021, the top 10 percent held 69.8 percent of total U.S. net worth (which is the value of all assets a person holds minus all their liabilities).
The lower your down payment, the higher your monthly mortgage payment. “With a $150,000 income, you could potentially save up to $100,000 – 20 percent – within a few years,” says Shri Ganeshram, CEO of real estate website Awning. “This would allow you to purchase a home in the $500,000 range.”
And because of racial and gender wage gaps, women are less likely to reach the six-figure threshold compared with men. Just 11% of women make $100,000 or more on a national level, whereas 21% of men do.
| Tax rate | Single | Married, filing jointly |
|---|---|---|
| 10% | $0 to $9,950 | $0 to $19,900 |
| 12% | $9,951 to $40,525 | $19,901 to $81,050 |
| 22% | $40,526 to $86,375 | $81,051 to $172,750 |
| 24% | $86,376 to $164,925 | $172,751 to $329,850 |
There are a ton of variables, and these are just loose guidelines. That said, if you make $200,000 a year, it means you can likely afford a home between $400,000 and $500,000.
In the US, 18% of individual Americans and 34.4% of households make $100k per year or more. This number has increased by 2.97% in the past five years and has nearly doubled since 1980. However, that doesn't mean all $100k+ earners are evenly spread.
New Study Shows CA Cost-of-Living So High that $180k is New “Middle Class”
By their calculations, in order to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle, single people will need $545,000 and couples $640,000 in super when they retire. 1. That will deliver an annual income of around $43,000 and $60,000 respectively.
The upper middle class, aka the mass affluent, is loosely defined as individuals with a net worth or investable assets between $500,000 to $2 million. The upper middle class is also sometimes referred to as the aspirational class or HENRYs.
What percentage of the population earns more than $250 K?
Those who make $250,000 or more make up just 5% of Americans, according to the Census Bureau.
Social Security benefits may or may not be taxed after 62, depending in large part on other income earned. Those only receiving Social Security benefits do not have to pay federal income taxes.
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase.
Can I Retire On $500k Plus Social Security? Yes, you can! The average monthly Social Security Income in 2021 is $1,543 per person.
A 100K salary means you can afford a $350,000 to $500,000 house, assuming you stick with the 28% rule that most experts recommend.
How much income to afford a $500,000 home? To afford a $500,000 home, a person would typically need to make about $140,000 a year, said Realtor.com economic data analyst Hannah Jones. The principal and interest payments would total $2,791 per month, and with taxes and insurance, that number comes up to $3,508.
Assuming a 30-year fixed conventional mortgage and a 20 percent down payment of $80,000, with a high 6.88 percent interest rate, borrowers must earn a minimum of $105,864 each year to afford a home priced at $400,000.
You might need $5 million to $10 million to qualify as having a very high net worth while it may take $30 million or more to be considered ultra-high net worth. That's how financial advisors typically view wealth.
According to 2019 Census Bureau data, households must earn at least $219,090 to be in the 80th percentile of earners.
According to the IRS, a $400,000 or more annual household income represents America's top 1.8% income-earners.
What is the 99.9 percentile income?
Income within the top 1 percent also varied widely: Average income before transfers and taxes among households in the top 0.01 percent was $43.0 million in 2019, compared with $5.7 million among households in the 99.9th to 99.99th percentiles and $1.2 million among those in the 99th to 99.9th percentiles.
According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average annual wage of the top 1% was $823,763 as of 2020.1 A more recent study by SmartAsset points out that the national average of the top 1% earners is $597,815.2 Have in mind that the figures vary greatly from state to state.
How much does the average American make in a lifetime? The answer varies by industry, education level, gender and location. The typical lifetime gross income range for American males is $1.13 million to $3.05 million, and $510,000 to $1.86 million for women, according to Social Security Administration data.
The Takeaway
The average annual average salary in the U.S. is $60,575. The median annual salary, which is often less skewed by outlying numbers, is $56,420. It's worth noting that average and median salaries vary quite a bit by state.
Your net worth is what you own minus what you owe. It's the total value of all your assets—including your house, cars, investments and cash—minus your liabilities (things like credit card debt, student loans, and what you still owe on your mortgage).
Market value of your investment accounts: Balances of your brokerage accounts. Your 401(k) and IRA should be included in your net worth calculation.
1,821,745 Households in the United States Have Investment Portfolios Worth $3,000,000 or More.
With a $500,000+ income, you are considered rich, wherever you live! According to the IRS, any household who makes over $500,000 a year in 2023 is considered a top 1% income earner. Of course, some parts of the country require a higher income level to be in the top 1% income, e.g. Connecticut at $580,000.
Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.
Earning $150,000 puts you well above the average salary in the U.S — over double the median income, in fact, according to Census data. With this salary, you can likely afford a bigger home than most, and likely in a more desirable location.
What class is 200K a year?
200K puts a household at the 89th percentile. Generally the first 20% of income is the lower class, second quintile the lower middle class, third the middle class, fourth the upper middle class and the fifth percentile, the top 20%, is the upper class.
If you're earning $75,000 each year, you're doing a bit better than half the country. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in 2021 stood at $70,784, so that extra $4,216 puts you in the upper 50 percent of earners.
Zippia's data also shows that 56% of Americans believe that earning $100,000 per year would make them rich, but Zippia notes that a $100,000 salary is generally considered upper-middle class today, rather than rich, and can even be lower-middle class in some cities.
Choose the right career
And one crucial detail to note: Millionaire status doesn't equal a sky-high salary. “Only 31% averaged $100,000 a year over the course of their career,” the study found, “and one-third never made six figures in any single working year of their career.”
| Annual Household Income | % of Americans Earning More |
|---|---|
| $90,000 to $94,999 | 22.20% |
| $95,000 to $99,999 | 20.42% |
| $100,000 to $104,999 | 18.31% |
| $105,000 to $109,999 | 16.82% |
Landing in the top 10% is a fairly attainable goal for upwardly mobile Americans. A study by the Economic Policy Institute (EPI) found that the average earnings of those in the top 10% were roughly $173,000 in 2020.
What percentage of Americans make over $100,000 a year? Approximately 33.6% of Americans make over $100,000 per year. 15.3% of that number are those who make between $100,000-$150,000, and only 0.1% make over a million per year.
According to our extensive research: 18% of individual Americans make over $100k per year. 34.4% of US households make over $100k per year. 37% of White Households make over $100k, compared to only 22% of Black households.
There are a ton of variables, and these are just loose guidelines. That said, if you make $200,000 a year, it means you can likely afford a home between $400,000 and $500,000.
| . | FAMILY SIZE | |
|---|---|---|
| STATE | 1 EARNER | 4 PEOPLE * |
| Arizona | $52,334 | $80,956 |
| Arkansas | $43,585 | $68,341 |
| California | $57,962 | $96,813 |
