$500,000 in Arizona
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Arizona.
Occupations near $500,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $500,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Surgeon | senior | $480,000 |
| Anesthesiologist | senior | $470,000 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $500,000 typically means a surgeon or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Arizona.
Two earners at $250,000 each combined = $500,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $500,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Arizona
At $500,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 4% of income — inside the affordable band. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $500,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $500,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $1,349,063. Arizona median home value is $374,700 — you can afford 360% of the median home, so buying statewide is realistic.
How $500,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Arizona's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona (current) | $76,872 | +550% | 98th |
| New Mexico | $62,268 | +703% | 99th |
| Nevada | $76,364 | +555% | 98th |
| Colorado | $92,911 | +438% | 97th |
| Utah | $93,421 | +435% | 97th |
| California | $95,521 | +423% | 97th |
$500,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Arizona
Common questions
- Is $500,000 a good household income in Arizona?
- It's at roughly the 98th percentile for Arizona after adjusting for the state's median income ($76,872). Nationally that's about the 97th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $500,000 compare to the Arizona median?
- It's 550% above the Arizona median household income of $76,872 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Arizona households earn less than $76,872, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.