Salary Required in US Cities to Be in the Top 50% of Earners

couple champagne cheers — You need to earn at least $117,474 to be in the top 50% in San Jose, California. Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

Updated 2018-11-15T16:35:00.000Z

If you're working toward earning a salary that will deem you "rich" in your city, it may take some time.

One benchmark you can use on your way to wealth: Making it into the top 50% of earners.

If you're earning at least $75,368 in New York City, you make more money than half the population there. You're also technically middle class. To make it into the top 50% of earners in Los Angeles, you need to bring in $69,992 annually.

Here, we've highlighted the annual household income required to be in the top 50% in 50 major US metro areas, ranked from lowest to highest.

All data comes from the US Census Bureau's 2017 American Community Survey 1-year estimates.

50. New Orleans, Louisiana: at least $50,528

49. Memphis, Tennessee: at least $50,984

48. Tampa, Florida: at least $52,212

47. Cleveland, Ohio: at least $52,489

46. Birmingham, Alabama: at least $53,107

45. Miami, Florida: at least $54,284

44. Orlando, Florida: at least $55,089

43. Buffalo, New York: at least $55,448

42. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: at least $56,260

41. San Antonio, Texas: at least $56,774

40. Las Vegas, Nevada: at least $57,189

39. Louisville, Kentucky: at least $57,279

38. Detroit, Michigan: at least $58,411

37. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: at least $58,521

36. Jacksonville, Florida: at least $58,709

35. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: at least $59,448

34. Indianapolis, Indiana: at least $59,566

33. Charlotte, North Carolina: at least $61,156

32. Phoenix, Arizona: at least $61,506

31. St. Louis, Missouri: at least $61,571

30. Riverside, California: at least $61,994

29. Cincinnati, Ohio: at least $61,653

28. Kansas City, Missouri: at least $63,404

27. Columbus, Ohio: at least $63,764

26. Nashville, Tennessee: at least $63,939

25. Houston, Texas: at least $63,802

24. Virginia Beach, Virginia: at least $64,255

23. Providence, Rhode Island: at least $65,226

22. Atlanta, Georgia: at least $65,381

21. Dallas, Texas: at least $67,382

20. Richmond, Virginia: at least $67,633

19. Sacramento, California: at least $67,902

18. Chicago, Illinois: at least $68,403

17. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: at least $68,572

16. Salt Lake City, Utah: at least $71,510

15. Los Angeles, California: at least $69,992

14. Portland, Oregon: at least $71,931

13. Hartford, Connecticut: at least $71,414

12. Raleigh, North Carolina: at least $72,576

11. Austin, Texas: at least $73,800

10. New York City, New York: at least $75,368

9. San Diego, California: at least $76,207

8. Denver, Colorado: at least $76,643

7. Minneapolis, Minnesota: $76,856

6. Baltimore, Maryland: at least $77,394

5. Seattle, Washington: at least $82,133

4. Boston, Massachusetts: at least $85,691

3. Washington, DC: at least $99,669

2. San Francisco, California: at least $101,714

Here's the salary you need to be in the top 50% of earners in 50 major US cities

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Here's the salary you need to be in the top 50% of earners in 50 major US cities

50. New Orleans, Louisiana: at least $50,528

49. Memphis, Tennessee: at least $50,984

48. Tampa, Florida: at least $52,212

47. Cleveland, Ohio: at least $52,489

46. Birmingham, Alabama: at least $53,107

45. Miami, Florida: at least $54,284

44. Orlando, Florida: at least $55,089

43. Buffalo, New York: at least $55,448

42. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma: at least $56,260

41. San Antonio, Texas: at least $56,774

40. Las Vegas, Nevada: at least $57,189

39. Louisville, Kentucky: at least $57,279

38. Detroit, Michigan: at least $58,411

37. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: at least $58,521

36. Jacksonville, Florida: at least $58,709

35. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: at least $59,448

34. Indianapolis, Indiana: at least $59,566

33. Charlotte, North Carolina: at least $61,156

32. Phoenix, Arizona: at least $61,506

31. St. Louis, Missouri: at least $61,571

30. Riverside, California: at least $61,994

29. Cincinnati, Ohio: at least $61,653

28. Kansas City, Missouri: at least $63,404

27. Columbus, Ohio: at least $63,764

26. Nashville, Tennessee: at least $63,939

25. Houston, Texas: at least $63,802

24. Virginia Beach, Virginia: at least $64,255

23. Providence, Rhode Island: at least $65,226

22. Atlanta, Georgia: at least $65,381

21. Dallas, Texas: at least $67,382

20. Richmond, Virginia: at least $67,633

19. Sacramento, California: at least $67,902

18. Chicago, Illinois: at least $68,403

17. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: at least $68,572

16. Salt Lake City, Utah: at least $71,510

15. Los Angeles, California: at least $69,992

14. Portland, Oregon: at least $71,931

13. Hartford, Connecticut: at least $71,414

12. Raleigh, North Carolina: at least $72,576

11. Austin, Texas: at least $73,800

10. New York City, New York: at least $75,368

9. San Diego, California: at least $76,207

8. Denver, Colorado: at least $76,643

7. Minneapolis, Minnesota: $76,856

6. Baltimore, Maryland: at least $77,394

5. Seattle, Washington: at least $82,133

4. Boston, Massachusetts: at least $85,691

3. Washington, DC: at least $99,669

2. San Francisco, California: at least $101,714

1. San Jose, California: at least $117,474

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