Percentage of Households Making Over 100k 2024 (2024)

FAQs

What percentage of Americans make over 100k in 2024? ›

In 2024, a large U.S. city's middle-class income averages between $52,000 and $155,000, with the median household income across all 345 cities at $77,345, making middle-class income limits fall between $51,558 and $154,590, SmartAsset noted.

The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households that earn between two-thirds and double the median U.S. household income, which was $65,000 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 21 Using Pew's yardstick, middle income is made up of people who make between $43,350 and $130,000.

While there's no definitive line, households in the top 20% of earners are generally considered upper class. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in 2022 was $74,580. To reach the upper class in 2024, you'd typically need an income exceeding $153,000 – more than double the national median.

Over one-third of American families earn $100,000 or more

The U.S. Census Bureau found that 37.1% of U.S. households earned at least $100,000 in 2022.

Key Findings

72% of females who responded to our survey feel like they're living paycheck to paycheck, compared to nearly 60% of males. 48% of people earning $100,000 or more annually and 36% earning $200,000 or more reported living paycheck to paycheck.

Generally speaking, $100,000 is a good six-figure salary for a single person. Before taxes, $100,00 works out to roughly $8,333 per month. Whether that's enough for you depends largely on where you live. Savings, property ownership, and discretionary funds may be achievable in an area with a low cost of living.

Based on this outline, Hawaii is by far the most expensive state for a family of four, but there are 12 states where a household would need to earn over $100,000 to get by: Hawaii: $182,900. Massachusetts: $142,341. California: $130,239.

What is the high income threshold for 2024? ›

High income employees

has accepted a written guarantee of annual earnings. is guaranteed to earn an annual amount which is more than the high income threshold. The high income threshold changes each year. From 1 July 2024, it is $175,000.

Here's how much you have to earn in California to qualify as middle class, study says — between $ 61,270 to $183,810. I feel like this highlights the cost of living discrepancy found in CA.

The Takeaway

For most individuals and small families, the answer to “Is $100,000 a good salary?” is a resounding “yes.” Cost of living and family size can affect how far $100,000 will go, but generally speaking, you can live comfortably on $100,000 a year. Are you hoping to make the most of your salary?

The median salary for Americans is around $70,000 a year, according to the most recent census data from 2021. A salary of $100,000 a year, with the assumption that you are an individual without dependents, would classify an individual as upper-class — but many of these people don't feel rich.

$100,000 a year is how much an hour? If you make $100,000 a year, your hourly salary would be $48.08.

What Percent of America Makes Six Figures? When you remove demographics such as infants, students, and stay-at-home spouses and focus only on full-time workers, around 18% of all earners in the US make at least six figures. Conversely, the median American household income in 2023 was approximately $44,225.

More than half (52%) of Americans say they would need at least $100,000 a year to feel financially comfortable, with 26% saying they would need a salary in the range of $100,000 to $149,000 per year, according to a 2023 CNBC Your Money survey conducted by SurveyMonkey.

So in 2023 about 12% of US households earned more than $200k…