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

Kkmurray, Wikimedia Commons

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

Yinan Chen, Wikimedia Commons

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

Urbanative, Wikimedia Commons

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

tpsdave, Wikimedia Commons

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

DPPed, Wikimedia Commons

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

BigCheddah, Wikimedia Commons

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

Reustli, Wikimedia Commons

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

Bspor.88, Wikimedia Commons

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

Mangoman88, Wikimedia Commons

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

KeanoManu, Wikimedia Commons

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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