State rankings
The household income you need to reach the top 20% and the top 40% in every state, from the Census Bureau's official income cutoffs.
Highest top-20% cutoff
Washington, D.C.
$242,931
U.S. top 20% starts at
$162,235
All U.S. households
Lowest top-20% cutoff
Mississippi
$117,348
The "top 40%" column is the income that beats 60% of households in that state.
| Rank | State | Top 20% starts at | Top 40% starts at | Households earning $200K+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, D.C. | $242,931 | $142,394 | 27% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $212,184 | $131,158 | 22% |
| 3 | New Jersey | $208,809 | $129,581 | 22% |
| 4 | California | $202,683 | $123,854 | 21% |
| 5 | Maryland | $201,435 | $127,967 | 20% |
| 6 | Connecticut | $194,995 | $120,507 | 19% |
| 7 | Washington | $191,595 | $120,911 | 19% |
| 8 | Hawaii | $191,371 | $122,967 | 18% |
| 9 | Virginia | $187,330 | $116,476 | 18% |
| 10 | Colorado | $184,293 | $117,874 | 17% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $184,293 | $120,856 | 17% |
| 12 | New York | $182,655 | $109,539 | 17% |
| 13 | Alaska | $174,027 | $113,458 | 15% |
| 14 | Utah | $170,149 | $114,967 | 14% |
| 15 | Minnesota | $168,458 | $109,588 | 14% |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $167,412 | $109,059 | 14% |
| 17 | Illinois | $166,035 | $104,097 | 14% |
| 18 | Delaware | $161,962 | $104,810 | 12% |
| 19 | Oregon | $160,719 | $102,791 | 13% |
| 20 | Texas | $157,770 | $98,263 | 12% |
| 21 | Vermont | $155,516 | $100,958 | 11% |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $154,678 | $97,586 | 12% |
| 23 | Georgia | $154,052 | $96,339 | 12% |
| 24 | Arizona | $153,607 | $98,735 | 12% |
| 25 | Nevada | $150,854 | $96,674 | 11% |
| 26 | Florida | $147,327 | $92,767 | 11% |
| 27 | North Dakota | $145,245 | $94,385 | 10% |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $144,753 | $95,213 | 9% |
| 29 | North Carolina | $144,687 | $90,192 | 10% |
| 30 | Maine | $144,261 | $93,592 | 9% |
| 31 | Nebraska | $144,056 | $94,538 | 9% |
| 32 | Kansas | $143,399 | $91,921 | 10% |
| 33 | Michigan | $142,884 | $90,609 | 10% |
| 34 | Idaho | $142,518 | $94,372 | 9% |
| 35 | Wyoming | $142,509 | $93,914 | 9% |
| 36 | Iowa | $140,325 | $92,280 | 9% |
| 37 | Ohio | $139,936 | $88,728 | 9% |
| 38 | Montana | $139,681 | $89,058 | 9% |
| 39 | Missouri | $137,691 | $87,668 | 9% |
| 40 | South Dakota | $137,651 | $91,614 | 8% |
| 41 | South Carolina | $137,096 | $86,073 | 9% |
| 42 | Tennessee | $136,546 | $86,589 | 9% |
| 43 | Indiana | $136,508 | $88,293 | 8% |
| 44 | New Mexico | $131,239 | $80,865 | 8% |
| 45 | Alabama | $130,459 | $81,046 | 8% |
| 46 | Louisiana | $129,381 | $77,978 | 8% |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $127,824 | $81,244 | 7% |
| 48 | Kentucky | $127,452 | $80,106 | 7% |
| 49 | Arkansas | $120,698 | $76,148 | 7% |
| 50 | West Virginia | $119,794 | $74,888 | 6% |
| 51 | Mississippi | $117,348 | $71,841 | 6% |
Source: Census table B19080 (household income quintile upper limits) and B19001. Household income includes everyone in the home, before taxes. The Census also publishes a top 5% cutoff, but it is capped at $250,000 in most states, so we leave it out.
Reaching the top 20% takes $242,931 in Washington, D.C. but $117,348 in Mississippi, a difference of $125,583.
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