How Wide Is the Gap Between the Middle Class and the Top 5% in Every State?

The difference between “high end of middle class” and “low end of the top 5%” varies widely from state to state. That’s according to a GOBankingRates analysis of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey for 2022, the most recent year available.

Making the jump in North Carolina requires nearly $118,000 more in annual income – the largest disparity in the U.S. That’s based on the Tar Heel State’s minimum figure to crack the top 5% ($250,000 a year) minus its top figure to still qualify as middle class ($132,372 a year). The average member of the top 5% club in North Carolina brings in $429,071 annually, compared to the state’s median annual income of just over $66,000.

Maryland has the smallest gap between middle class and top 5% at about $53,000 a year.

To define “middle class,” GBR used the Pew Research Center’s definition: two-thirds to double the average income of a given area.

Here’s our state-by-state list, including median household income, earning ranges for middle class, lowest figure for the top 5% and average income for the top 5%.

Also see the line between middle class and upper middle class in every state.

• Median household income: $59,609
• Low end of middle-class income: $39,735
• High end of middle-class income: $119,218
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $220,548
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $101,330
• Average income for the top 5%: $370,977

• Median household income: $86,370
• Low end of middle-class income: $57,574
• High end of middle-class income: $172,740
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $77,260
• Average income for the top 5%: $424,278

• Median household income: $72,581
• Low end of middle-class income: $48,382
• High end of middle-class income: $145,162
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $104,838
• Average income for the top 5%: $435,414

• Median household income: $56,335
• Low end of middle-class income: $37,553
• High end of middle-class income: $112,670
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $210,755
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $98,085
• Average income for the top 5%: $377,043

• Median household income: $91,905
• Low end of middle-class income: $61,264
• High end of middle-class income: $183,810
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $66,190
• Average income for the top 5%: $613,602

• Median household income: $87,598
• Low end of middle-class income: $58,393
• High end of middle-class income: $175,196
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $74,804
• Average income for the top 5%: $507,181

• Median household income: $90,213
• Low end of middle-class income: $60,136
• High end of middle-class income: $180,426
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $69,574
• Average income for the top 5%: $656,438

• Median household income: $79,325
• Low end of middle-class income: $52,878
• High end of middle-class income: $158,650
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $91,350
• Average income for the top 5%: $442,860

• Median household income: $67,917
• Low end of middle-class income: $45,273
• High end of middle-class income: $135,834
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $114,166
• Average income for the top 5%: $476,546

• Median household income: $71,355
• Low end of middle-class income: $47,565
• High end of middle-class income: $142,710
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $107,290
• Average income for the top 5%: $455,439

• Median household income: $94,814
• Low end of middle-class income: $63,203
• High end of middle-class income: $189,628
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $60,372
• Average income for the top 5%: $500,183

• Median household income: $70,214
• Low end of middle-class income: $46,805
• High end of middle-class income: $140,428
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $234,748
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $94,320
• Average income for the top 5%: $402,743

• Median household income: $78,433
• Low end of middle-class income: $52,283
• High end of middle-class income: $156,866
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $93,134
• Average income for the top 5%: $503,970

• Median household income: $67,173
• Low end of middle-class income: $44,778
• High end of middle-class income: $134,346
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $223,312
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $88,966
• Average income for the top 5%: $381,422

• Median household income: $70,571
• Low end of middle-class income: $47,043
• High end of middle-class income: $141,142
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $228,362
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $87,220
• Average income for the top 5%: $386,152

• Median household income: $69,747
• Low end of middle-class income: $46,493
• High end of middle-class income: $139,494
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $239,514
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $100,020
• Average income for the top 5%: $415,875

• Median household income: $60,183
• Low end of middle-class income: $40,118
• High end of middle-class income: $120,366
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $215,866
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $95,500
• Average income for the top 5%: $380,726

• Median household income: $57,852
• Low end of middle-class income: $38,564
• High end of middle-class income: $115,704
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $226,420
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $110,716
• Average income for the top 5%: $384,432

• Median household income: $68,251
• Low end of middle-class income: $45,496
• High end of middle-class income: $136,502
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $234,090
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $97,588
• Average income for the top 5%: $396,205 

• Median household income: $98,461
• Low end of middle-class income: $65,634
• High end of middle-class income: $196,922
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $53,078
• Average income for the top 5%: $540,934

• Median household income: $96,505
• Low end of middle-class income: $64,330
• High end of middle-class income: $193,010
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $56,990
• Average income for the top 5%: $617,199

• Median household income: $68,505
• Low end of middle-class income: $45,665
• High end of middle-class income: $137,010
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $241,528
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $104,518
• Average income for the top 5%: $406,657

• Median household income: $84,313
• Low end of middle-class income: $56,203
• High end of middle-class income: $168,626
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $81,374
• Average income for the top 5%: $476,290

• Median household income: $52,985
• Low end of middle-class income: $35,320
• High end of middle-class income: $105,970
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $194,721
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $88,751
• Average income for the top 5%: $333,597
  

• Median household income: $65,920
• Low end of middle-class income: $43,942
• High end of middle-class income: $131,840
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $233,270
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $101,430
• Average income for the top 5%: $404,080

• Median household income: $66,341
• Low end of middle-class income: $44,223
• High end of middle-class income: $132,682
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $230,670
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $97,988
• Average income for the top 5%: $411,205

• Median household income: $71,722
• Low end of middle-class income: $47,810
• High end of middle-class income: $143,444
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $236,656
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $93,212
• Average income for the top 5%: $420,169

• Median household income: $71,646
• Low end of middle-class income: $47,759
• High end of middle-class income: $143,292
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $106,708
• Average income for the top 5%: $449,872

• Median household income: $90,845
• Low end of middle-class income: $60,557
• High end of middle-class income: $181,690
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $68,310
• Average income for the top 5%: $485,660

• Median household income: $97,126
• Low end of middle-class income: $64,744
• High end of middle-class income: $194,252
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $55,748
• Average income for the top 5%: $613,494

• Median household income: $58,722
• Low end of middle-class income: $39,144
• High end of middle-class income: $117,444
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $215,617
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $98,173
• Average income for the top 5%: $353,104

• Median household income: $81,386
• Low end of middle-class income: $54,252
• High end of middle-class income: $162,772
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $87,228
• Average income for the top 5%: $621,301

• Median household income: $66,186
• Low end of middle-class income: $44,120
• High end of middle-class income: $132,372
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $117,628
• Average income for the top 5%: $429,071

• Median household income: $73,959
• Low end of middle-class income: $49,301
• High end of middle-class income: $147,918
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $246,904
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $98,986
• Average income for the top 5%: $418,541

• Median household income: $66,990
• Low end of middle-class income: $44,656
• High end of middle-class income: $133,980
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $235,112
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $101,132
• Average income for the top 5%: $403,750

• Median household income: $61,364
• Low end of middle-class income: $40,905
• High end of middle-class income: $122,728
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $219,482
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $96,754
• Average income for the top 5%: $377,724

• Median household income: $76,632
• Low end of middle-class income: $51,083
• High end of middle-class income: $153,264
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $96,736
• Average income for the top 5%: $448,649

• Median household income: $73,170
• Low end of middle-class income: $48,775
• High end of middle-class income: $146,340
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $103,660
• Average income for the top 5%: $454,639

• Median household income: $81,370
• Low end of middle-class income: $54,241
• High end of middle-class income: $162,740
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $87,260
• Average income for the top 5%: $453,192

• Median household income: $63,623
• Low end of middle-class income: $42,411
• High end of middle-class income: $127,246
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $233,194
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $105,948
• Average income for the top 5%: $408,138

• Median household income: $69,457
• Low end of middle-class income: $46,300
• High end of middle-class income: $138,914
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $222,099
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $83,185
• Average income for the top 5%: $392,724

• Median household income: $64,035
• Low end of middle-class income: $42,686
• High end of middle-class income: $128,070
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $234,549
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $106,479
• Average income for the top 5%: $418,421

• Median household income: $73,035
• Low end of middle-class income: $48,685
• High end of middle-class income: $146,070
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $103,930
• Average income for the top 5%: $464,859

• Median household income: $86,833
• Low end of middle-class income: $57,883
• High end of middle-class income: $173,666
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $76,334
• Average income for the top 5%: $463,437

• Median household income: $74,014
• Low end of middle-class income: $49,338
• High end of middle-class income: $148,028
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $249,743
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $101,715
• Average income for the top 5%: $405,333

• Median household income: $87,249
• Low end of middle-class income: $58,160
• High end of middle-class income: $174,498
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $75,502
• Average income for the top 5%: $531,035

• Median household income: $90,325
• Low end of middle-class income: $60,211
• High end of middle-class income: $180,650
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $250,000+
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $69,350
• Average income for the top 5%: $544,518

• Median household income: $55,217
• Low end of middle-class income: $36,808
• High end of middle-class income: $110,434
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $197,767
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $87,333
• Average income for the top 5%: $329,620

• Median household income: $72,458
• Low end of middle-class income: $48,301
• High end of middle-class income: $144,916
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $233,991
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $89,075
• Average income for the top 5%: $403,055

• Median household income: $72,495
• Low end of middle-class income: $48,325
• High end of middle-class income: $144,990
• Lowest income to be considered top 5%: $229,463
• Gap between high end of middle class and low end of top 5%: $84,473
• Average income for the top 5%: $407,646

Methodology: For this piece, GOBankingRates used the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey to learn the median household income, lowest limit to be considered top 5%, and the average income of the top 5% for every state. To determine the range for “middle class,” we use the Pew Research Center’s definition of two-thirds to double the income of a given area. All data was collected on and is up to date as of Sept. 10, 2024.