The salary considered upper class in the United States is not a single, nationwide figure, but rather varies significantly by state, reflecting diverse economic landscapes and costs of living. Generally, the upper class is often defined as households earning within the top 20% of income nationally or within a specific region.
State-Specific Upper Class Income Thresholds
The income required to be considered upper class can differ by tens of thousands of dollars depending on where you live. For instance, states with higher costs of living, such as California, often have a significantly higher income threshold compared to other states.
Here are some examples of the annual income cutoffs considered upper class in various U.S. states:
| State | Upper Class Cutoff Income |
|---|---|
| California | $183,102 |
| Washington | $182,612 |
| New Hampshire | $179,984 |
| Colorado | $178,604 |
These figures represent the income level an individual or household needs to earn to be categorized within the upper class in these particular states. The variation underscores that financial benchmarks are highly dependent on the local economic environment.
