Playing The Percentages
We're always hearing about the top 1%—but what does that actually mean? Well, in America these days, it means a salary of about $800,000 to be a one-percenter nationally. However, if we break it down state by state, cracking that 1% threshold varies quite significantly.
So, how much do you need to earn to be in the top 1% of your state? These are the numbers...
50: West Virginia
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $420,453
Number of top 1% tax returns: 7,336
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $193,495
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
49: Mississippi
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $440,744
Number of top 1% tax returns: 11,862
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $193,057
48: New Mexico
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $476,196
Number of top 1% tax returns: 9,184
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $214,903
Ron Reiring, Wikimedia Commons
47: Kentucky
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $513,865
Number of top 1% tax returns: 18,434
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $214,334
Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons
46: Arkansas
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $531,692
Number of top 1% tax returns: 12,184
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $216,609
45: Oklahoma
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $540,879
Number of top 1% tax returns: 16,003
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $220,874
44: Indiana
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $552,877
Number of top 1% tax returns: 30,114
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $225,467
43: Alabama
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $557,334
Number of top 1% tax returns: 20,150
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $226,801
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
42: Iowa
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $571,730
Number of top 1% tax returns: 13,808
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $241,477
Stephen Matthew Milligan, Wikimedia Commons
41: Ohio
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $581,161
Number of top 1% tax returns: 53,509
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $231,962
Pi.1415926535, Wikimedia Commons
40: Louisiana
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $587,399
Number of top 1% tax returns: 18,837
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $227,642
Stuart Adams, stuadams.com, Wikimedia Commons
39: Maine
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $588,394
Number of top 1% tax returns: 6,620
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $241,513
Denis Pithon, Wikimedia Commons
38: Missouri
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $590,001
Number of top 1% tax returns: 26,722
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $238,375
Jesper Rautell Balle, Wikimedia Commons
37: Michigan
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $603,834
Number of top 1% tax returns: 45,085
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $244,489
Barbara Eckstein, Wikimedia Commons
36: Hawaii
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $609,846
Number of top 1% tax returns: 6,489
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $258,532
Caracas1830, Wikimedia Commons
35: Wisconsin
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $610,435
Number of top 1% tax returns: 27,144
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $245,562
Lectrician2, Wikimedia Commons
34: South Carolina
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $611,219
Number of top 1% tax returns: 22,737
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $242,922
Akhenaton06, Wikimedia Commons
33: Delaware
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $618,488
Number of top 1% tax returns: 4,662
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $265,526
Tim Kiser (User:Malepheasant), Wikimedia Commons
32: Alaska
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $620,783
Number of top 1% tax returns: 3,231
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $271,250
Jack Connaher, Wikimedia Commons
31: Vermont
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $623,244
Number of top 1% tax returns: 3,107
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $258,200
Jared and Corin, Wikimedia Commons
30: Nebraska
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $629,413
Number of top 1% tax returns: 8,604
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $251,224
Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, Wikimedia Commons
29: Rhode Island
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $650,914
Number of top 1% tax returns: 5,166
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $262,860
Kenneth C. Zirkel, Wikimedia Commons
28: Kansas
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $651,226
Number of top 1% tax returns: 12,659
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $255,138
Dean Hochman from Overland Park, Kansas, U.S., Wikimedia Commons
27: North Carolina
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $665,021
Number of top 1% tax returns: 45,833
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $266,297
Michael Tracey, Wikimedia Commons
26: Tennessee
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $678,956
Number of top 1% tax returns: 30,306
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $248,448
WeaponizingArchitecture, Wikimedia Commons
25: Oregon
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $683,170
Number of top 1% tax returns: 19,147
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $280,067
M.O. Stevens, Wikimedia Commons
24: North Dakota
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $684,124
Number of top 1% tax returns: 3,417
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $267,235
Ron Reiring, Wikimedia Commons
23: Arizona
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $688,934
Number of top 1% tax returns: 31,720
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $267,508
22: Pennsylvania
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $696,192
Number of top 1% tax returns: 59,123
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $273,345
21: Georgia
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $700,544
Number of top 1% tax returns: 45,961
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $266,292
Brett Weinstein from Scarsdale, New York, Wikimedia Commons
20: Idaho
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $703,997
Number of top 1% tax returns: 8,085
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $260,966
Jyoni Shuler, Wikimedia Commons
19: Montana
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $715,899
Number of top 1% tax returns: 5,054
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $260,164
18: South Dakota
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $727,168
Number of top 1% tax returns: 4,044
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $258,733
WeaponizingArchitecture, Wikimedia Commons
17: Minnesota
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $730,096
Number of top 1% tax returns: 26,169
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $291,033
16: Maryland
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $741,501
Number of top 1% tax returns: 28,558
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $311,722
Flickr user: high limitzz https://www.flickr.com/people/highlimitstudio/, Wikimedia Commons
15: Virginia
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $760,610
Number of top 1% tax returns: 38,483
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $322,794
Will Weaver from Glen Allen, VA, United States. Edited by User:Patrickneil, Wikimedia Commons
14: Texas
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $762,090
Number of top 1% tax returns: 126,128
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $280,676
Ryan Friesen, Wikimedia Commons
13: Nevada
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $777,180
Number of top 1% tax returns: 14,766
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $253,500
Don Ramey Logan, Wikimedia Commons
12: Illinois
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $783,340
Number of top 1% tax returns: 56,796
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $294,302
Ken Lund from Reno, Nevada, USA, Wikimedia Commons
11: Utah
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $784,233
Number of top 1% tax returns: 13,739
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $279,124
10: New Hampshire
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $811,098
Number of top 1% tax returns: 6,742
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $320,808
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
9: Wyoming
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $843,121
Number of top 1% tax returns: 2,616
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $259,730
Vasiliymeshko, Wikimedia Commons
8: Florida
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $852,206
Number of top 1% tax returns: 101,940
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $276,217
7: Colorado
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $865,700
Number of top 1% tax returns: 27,447
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $329,566
The original uploader was Postoak at English Wikipedia., Wikimedia Commons
6: New York
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $965,645
Number of top 1% tax returns: 92,142
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $311,560
Clement Bardot, Wikimedia Commons
5: New Jersey
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $975,645
Number of top 1% tax returns: 42,437
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $372,171
King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons
4: Washington
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $989,649
Number of top 1% tax returns: 35,456
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $377,265
Carol M. Highsmith, Wikimedia Commons
3: California
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $1,035,673
Number of top 1% tax returns: 177,645
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $364,788
Basil D Soufi, Wikimedia Commons
2: Massachusetts
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $1,113,662
Number of top 1% tax returns: 32,598
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $393,160
ArnoldReinhold, Wikimedia Commons
1: Connecticut
Income floor on the top 1% of earners in 2024 dollars: $1,152,254
Number of top 1% tax returns: 16,811
Income floor on the top 5% of earners in 2024 dollars: $370,060
formulanone from Huntsville, United States, Wikimedia Commons
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