Money & Economy

Income Percentile Calculator

See where a household income ranks nationally or in your state, using 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data. No account, and nothing you enter is stored.

Estimates based on 2023 household income data from the U.S. Census Bureau (CPS ASEC / American Community Survey). State figures rescale the national distribution by each state's median household income.

Enter a household income and this tool shows where it falls in the national distribution and within your state, using published U.S. Census Bureau income data. There is no sign-up, and your income is never stored — the result is calculated from the numbers in the page URL.

Percentile is often more useful than a raw dollar figure. Knowing that a household earns more than 72% of American households says more about relative standing than the income alone, especially because the same salary buys very different lives in Mississippi and Massachusetts.

What counts as middle class?

Pew Research defines middle-income households as those earning between two-thirds and double the median household income. Against the national median of about $80,610, that puts the middle-class band at roughly $53,700 to $161,200 for a household. This tool applies that same published definition, and re-centers it on your state's median when you pick a state.

Why your state changes the answer

Median household income ranges from roughly $55,000 in Mississippi to over $101,000 in Maryland, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. A household earning $95,000 sits comfortably above the middle in low-median states and near the middle in high-median ones. Selecting a state rescales the national distribution to that state's median so the percentile reflects local reality.

Household income, not individual salary

Census income percentiles measure total household income — every earner under one roof, plus interest, retirement income, and other cash income before taxes. A two-earner household should combine both incomes. Comparing a single salary against household percentiles will understate where that person's household actually ranks.

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Income Percentile Calculator — Frequently Asked Questions

What income puts you in the top 1% in the United States?
A household income of roughly $632,000 places a household at about the 99th percentile nationally, according to Census Bureau income data. State thresholds vary widely — the top 1% cutoff is far higher in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and California than in Mississippi, West Virginia, or Arkansas.
What is the median household income in the U.S.?
Median U.S. household income is about $80,610, meaning half of American households earn more and half earn less. The median is a better reference point than the average, because very high incomes pull the average upward.
What income is considered middle class?
Using Pew Research's definition of two-thirds to double the median, a middle-income household nationally earns roughly $53,700 to $161,200. The band shifts with your state's median household income, so the same dollar figure can be middle class in one state and upper income in another.
Is this calculator based on income before or after taxes?
Before taxes. Census income figures measure pre-tax cash income, so enter your gross household income for an accurate comparison.
Does this tool store or share my income?
No. There is no account and nothing is saved to a database. The calculation happens from the values in the page URL, which is also what makes a result shareable.

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