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GOBankingRates

Heather Taylor

The Gap Between the Middle Class and Top 5% in Every State

DenisTangneyJr GOBankingRates Jacob Boomsma Sean Pavone

A sizable financial gap, not surprisingly, exists between the middle class and the top 5% in every U.S. state. A gap of at least $40,000 sits between the high end of the middle class and the low end of the top 5%, according to a new study from GOBankingRates.

To determine the difference between the middle class and top 5%, GOBankingRates referred to the Pew Research Center’s definition of middle-class as two-thirds to double the income of a given area. We found each state’s median household income, the lowest limit to be considered in the top 5% and the average income of the top 5% by sourcing the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 1-Year American Community Survey results.

Key Findings

12 states have a $100,000+ gap between the middle class and top 5%. From highest to lowest gap amount, they are Louisiana ($116,510), New Mexico ($112,067), Alabama ($108,856), Missouri ($106,822), Tennessee ($106,006), Ohio ($105,576), South Carolina ($105,300), Michigan ($105,222), Kentucky ($103,421), North Carolina ($102,084), Indiana ($102,052) and Oklahoma ($101,853)
Only five states have a gap of under $50,000. California ($49,702), Hawaii ($48,510), Maryland ($44,190), New Jersey ($41,412) and Massachusetts ($40,344) are also the top five states with the highest median household incomes.
The high end of middle-class income is more than $118,000 in every state, and more than $200,000 in just five states. These states are Massachusetts ($209,656), New Jersey ($208,588), Maryland ($205,810), Hawaii ($201,490) and California ($200,298).

See the gap between the middle class and top 5% in every state below. Plus, review the 50 wealthiest suburbs in America.

Check Out: GOBankingRates Original Research Center

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Alabama

Median household income: $66,659
High end of middle-class income: $133,318
Low end of top 5% income: $242,174
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $108,856

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Learn More: What Is the Estimated Median Income for the Upper-Middle Class in 2025?

Alaska

Median household income: $95,665
High end of middle-class income: $191,330
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $58,670

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DenisTangneyJr / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Arizona

Median household income: $81,486
High end of middle-class income: $162,972
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $87,028

Arkansas

Median household income: $62,106
High end of middle-class income: $124,212
Low end of top 5% income: $222,040
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $97,828

California

Median household income: $100,149
High end of middle-class income: $200,298
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $49,702

Muhammad Zulkifal / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Colorado

Median household income: $97,113
High end of middle-class income: $194,226
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $55,774

Connecticut

Median household income: $96,049
High end of middle-class income: $192,098
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $57,902

Delaware

Median household income: $87,534
High end of middle-class income: $175,068
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $74,932

Florida

Median household income: $77,735
High end of middle-class income: $155,470
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $94,530

Jacob Boomsma / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Georgia

Median household income: $79,991
High end of middle-class income: $159,982
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $90,018

Hawaii

Median household income: $100,745
High end of middle-class income: $201,490
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $48,510

christiannafzger / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Idaho

Median household income: $81,166
High end of middle-class income: $162,332
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $87,668

Illinois

Median household income: $83,211
High end of middle-class income: $166,422
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $83,578

Indiana

Median household income: $71,959
High end of middle-class income: $143,918
Low end of top 5% income: $245,970
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $102,052

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Iowa

Median household income: $75,501
High end of middle-class income: $151,002
Low end of top 5% income: $243,236
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $92,234

Kansas

Median household income: $75,514
High end of middle-class income: $151,028
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $98,972

Kentucky

Median household income: $64,526
High end of middle-class income: $129,052
Low end of top 5% income: $232,473
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $103,421

Louisiana

Median household income: $60,986
High end of middle-class income: $121,972
Low end of top 5% income: $238,482
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $116,510

Maine

Median household income: $76,442
High end of middle-class income: $152,884
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $97,116

Maryland

Median household income: $102,905
High end of middle-class income: $205,810
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $44,190

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Massachusetts

Median household income: $104,828
High end of middle-class income: $209,656
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $40,344

Michigan

Median household income: $72,389
High end of middle-class income: $144,778
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $105,222

Minnesota

Median household income: $87,117
High end of middle-class income: $174,234
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $75,766

SeanPavonePhoto / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Mississippi

Median household income: $59,127
High end of middle-class income: 118,254
Low end of top 5% income: $211,589
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $93,335

Missouri

Median household income: $71,589
High end of middle-class income: $143,178
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $106,822

Montana

Median household income: $75,340
High end of middle-class income: $150,680
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $99,320

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Nebraska

Median household income: $76,376
High end of middle-class income: $152,752
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $97,248

Nevada

Median household income: $81,134
High end of middle-class income: $162,268
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $87,732

New Hampshire

Median household income: $99,782
High end of middle-class income: $199,564
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $50,436

New Jersey

Median household income: $104,294
High end of middle-class income: $208,588
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $41,412

New Mexico

Median household income: $67,816
High end of middle-class income: $135,632
Low end of top 5% income: $247,699
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $112,067

New York

Median household income: $85,820
High end of middle-class income: $171,640
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $78,360

See More: The Living Wage a Family of 4 Needs in All 50 States

North Carolina

Median household income: $73,958
High end of middle-class income: $147,916
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $102,084

North Dakota

Median household income: $77,871
High end of middle-class income: $155,742
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $94,258

Ohio

Median household income: $72,212
High end of middle-class income: $144,424
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $105,576

Oklahoma

Median household income: $66,148
High end of middle-class income: $132,296
Low end of top 5% income: $234,149
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $101,853

Oregon

Median household income: $85,220
High end of middle-class income: $170,440
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $79,560

Pennsylvania

Median household income: $77,545
High end of middle-class income: $155,090
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $94,910

View Next: What Is the Estimated Median Income for the Upper-Middle Class in 2025?

Rhode Island

Median household income: $83,504
High end of middle-class income: $167,008
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $82,992

digidreamgrafix / Getty Images/iStockphoto

South Carolina

Median household income: $72,350
High end of middle-class income: $144,700
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $105,300

South Dakota

Median household income: $76,881
High end of middle-class income: $153,762
Low end of top 5% income: $246,023
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $92,261

Tennessee

Median household income: $71,997
High end of middle-class income: $143,994
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $106,006

Texas

Median household income: $79,721
High end of middle-class income: $159,442
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $90,558

Utah

Median household income: $96,658
High end of middle-class income: $193,316
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $56,684

Vermont

Median household income: $82,730
High end of middle-class income: $165,460
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $84,540

Virginia

Median household income: $92,090
High end of middle-class income: $184,180
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $65,820

Washington

Median household income: $99,389
High end of middle-class income: $198,778
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $51,222

West Virginia

Median household income: $60,798
High end of middle-class income: $121,596
Low end of top 5% income: $212,375
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $90,779

Wisconsin

Median household income: $77,488
High end of middle-class income: $154,976
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $95,024

Wyoming

Median household income: $75,532
High end of middle-class income: $151,064
Low end of top 5% income: $250,000+
Gap between middle class and top 5%: $98,936

Discover more original studies and surveys in the GOBankingRates original research center.

Methodology: For this piece GOBankingRates used the 2024 1-Year American Community Survey results as conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to find the median household income, lowest limit to be considered top 5% and the average income of the top 5% for every state. The middle class was defined by the Pew Research Center as two-thirds to double the income. All data is up to date as of Dec. 16, 2025.

More From GOBankingRates

This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Gap Between the Middle Class and Top 5% in Every State

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