US Household Income Percentile Calculator (2024)
Enter a household income to see where it lands on the US income distribution. The median US household earns $81,604; the top 10% starts around $221,000 and the top 1% near $650,000. Figures come from the Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS 2024).
US household income distribution (2024)
| Percentile | Household income | % earning more |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile† | $20,000 | 90% |
| 20th percentile | $33,775 | 80% |
| 30th percentile† | $48,500 | 70% |
| 40th percentile | $64,384 | 60% |
| 50th percentile (median) | $81,604 | 50% |
| 60th percentile | $101,835 | 40% |
| 70th percentile† | $131,000 | 30% |
| 80th percentile | $163,696 | 20% |
| 90th percentile (top 10%)† | $221,000 | 10% |
| 95th percentile (top 5%) | $250,001 | 5% |
| 99th percentile (top 1%)† | $650,000 | 1% |
† Census ACS B19080 publishes quintile cut-points (20th/40th/60th/80th) and the top-5% threshold; intermediate deciles are interpolated and the top-1% figure is a CPS ASEC / IRS SOI estimate. All other rows are published Census 2024 values.
What percentile is my income?
| Household income | US percentile | Standing |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | 31th | Below median |
| $75,000 | 46th | Below median |
| $100,000 | 59th | Above median |
| $150,000 | 76th | Above median |
| $200,000 | 86th | Above median |
| $250,000 | 95th | Top 10% |
| $300,000 | 95th | Top 5% |
| $500,000 | 97th | Top 5% |
These are national figures. Cost of living varies widely by state — a $100,000 household income ranks far higher in Mississippi than in California. Use the state-by-state calculator for a cost-adjusted percentile.
How income percentile is measured
A household income percentile tells you the share of US households earning less than a given amount. If $81,604is the 50th percentile (the median), half of households earn less and half earn more. "Household" income combines everyone living at one address, so it runs higher than individual or per-person income.
The thresholds above come from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (2024, 1-year estimates). Quintile cut-points and the median are published directly; the deciles and top-1% figure are estimated, as noted. Because the Census smooths over differences in household size, debt, and metro cost of living, treat a single percentile as a rough position, not a precise ranking.
Income percentile FAQ
- What is the median US household income?
- The median US household income is $81,604 (Census Bureau ACS 2024 1-year, table B19013). Half of all households earn less than this, half earn more.
- What household income is top 10%, top 5%, and top 1%?
- Roughly $221,000 puts a household in the top 10%, $250,001 in the top 5% (Census ACS 2024 B19080), and about $650,000 in the top 1% (CPS ASEC / IRS SOI estimate — ACS does not publish a top-1% threshold).
- Is household income the same as family or individual income?
- No. Household income combines the income of everyone living at an address, so it runs higher than individual income. Family income (Census table B19101) covers only households with two or more related people, so it differs slightly from all-household figures. This page uses all-household income.
- What income do I need to be in the upper-middle class?
- There's no official definition, but a common proxy is roughly the 60th–80th percentile — about $101,835 to $163,696 in household income. Cost of living shifts this a lot by state; use the state calculator for a cost-adjusted percentile.
- Why does this differ from other income percentile calculators?
- Most variation comes from (1) household vs individual income and (2) the data vintage and survey (ACS vs CPS ASEC). We anchor to Census ACS 2024 1-year quintile limits (B19080) and the B19013 median; deciles between published cut-points are interpolated, and the top-1% figure is a CPS/IRS estimate.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.
Source: Census Bureau ACS 2024 1-year (B19080 quintile limits, B19013 median); deciles interpolated, top 1% from CPS ASEC / IRS SOI. Retrieved 2026-06-05.
Estimate only — not financial advice. Percentiles are interpolated from US Census Bureau ACS household income distribution tables and describe where an income falls nationally — they are not a judgment of what you should earn or financial advice. Cost of living varies widely by state and metro.
Reviewed by R. Bennett, Editor · editorial policy