Here's how much you need to earn to be considered upper class in every state ... DAMN ... how you livin in your state?

[lightbright]

New York - $159,114
The Empire State has quite a wide income gap. While Wall Street, legal types and the tech sector push earnings high in New York City, upstate towns see much lower wages. To be considered upper class, a household must make at least $159,104 - and nearly 21% of New Yorkers reach that level

 

[lightbright]

Rhode Island - $163,708
New England’s smallest state has strong healthcare and education sectors, with Brown University and hospital networks contributing a fair amount. To be upper class, a household must earn over £163k, with about 19% of Rhode Islanders qualifying. High living costs in Providence and coastal areas make six-figure salaries feel less luxurious than in other states

 

[lightbright]

Delaware - $164,348
The First State benefits from a strong finance sector, particularly in Wilmington where its lack of sales tax attracts businesses. To be upper class, a household must earn at least $164k and about 16% of Delawareans meet that benchmark

 

[lightbright]

Minnesota - $164,676
The Land of 10,000 Lakes has one of the strongest economies in the whole of the Midwest, driven by healthcare, finance and major corporations like Target and 3M basing themselves out of the state. The upper class threshold here sees about 20% of households meeting or exceeding that amount

 

[lightbright]

Virginia - $171,746
Swamped by government contracting and tech companies, the north of this state has some of the highest salaries in the country. The upper class threshold is $171.7k, with roughly 21% of households earning that amount or more

 

[lightbright]

Alaska - $176,242
Way up at the chillier end of the country, Alaska has one of the highest median incomes in the country (thanks to oil, fishing and government jobs). Despite its vast wilderness too. The upper class benchmark sits at $176,242, but only 14.4% of households qualify. That's the lowest percentage in the entire country. The high cost of living, especially for imported goods, makes even upper class earnings feel modest

 

[lightbright]

Connecticut - $176,858
If you reside in The Nutmeg State in the northeast of the country, you benefit from proximity to major cities and all the employment opportunities that come with that. The cost of living isn't exactly low, though. You can call yourself upper class if you and your family bring in more than $176,858 a year

 

[lightbright]

Utah - $178,336
It's The Beehive State up next. For an upper class status there, the target is $178.3K per annum. The state's 'Silicon Slopes' tech boom has driven salaries up quite a lot in recent years, but - still - only 14.7% of households qualify as upper class there. Utah's strong economy is also shaped by the Mormon Church to a large extent, which influences business, education and society at large

 

[lightbright]

Colorado - $178,604
With a booming tech scene in the likes of Denver and Boulder, Colorado has one of the highest upper class thresholds at $178,604. Around 20% of households there qualify for it, though high housing costs can make some folk feel a little poorer than they might if they lived elsewhere

 

[lightbright]

New Hampshire - $179,984
For those Americans that live in the state with the rather ominous tagline or 'Live Free or Die', they need to be bringing $180k into their household annually in order for their community to regard them as being a grade above middle class

 

[lightbright]

Washington - $182,612
Tech giants like Amazon and Microsoft drive good salaries in Washington, particularly in Seattle. The upper class threshold is $182.6k, with around 20% of residents reaching that level. However, Washington’s high housing costs, especially in the Puget Sound region, make these salaries necessary for residents of the state to feel any real level of financial comfort

 

[lightbright]

California - $183,102
You might not be shocked to hear that The Golden State has some of the highest salaries in the country. It’s also not surprising that it also has some of the highest costs of living. The upper class benchmark sits at $183,102

 

[lightbright]

Hawaii - $184,916
Paradise comes at a steep price. Hawaii’s cost of living is the highest in the US, with the upper class threshold almost $185k. About 19% of households earn this amount or more. With much of the economy reliant on tourism, wages are high in certain sectors but low elsewhere, leading to a stark income divide. Good news for some, not so much for others

 

[lightbright]

Massachusetts - $188,976
Home to Harvard, MIT and a thriving biotech industry, Massachusetts has one of the highest upper class thresholds in the country, as you might expect. Around a fifth of Bay State residents earn above this level (

 

[lightbright]

Maryland - $189,982
With proximity to Washington DC, Maryland’s economy is powered by government jobs, biotech and finance. The upper class threshold is $185,200 and roughly 21% of Marylanders qualify. The state’s high median income reflects its strong job market, particularly in Montgomery County and some of Baltimore’s fancier suburbs

 

[lightbright]

New Jersey - $192,692
With major pharmaceutical, finance and tech industries in the state and an easy commute to New York City, New Jersey has the second highest upper class cut-off at just short of $192,700

 

[lightbright]

District of Columbia - $202,054
So, then. The highest threshold of all? It's not technically a state, but it's Washington DC, the administrative and political epicentre of the United States. The nation’s capital tops the list with an upper class benchmark of $202,054. Thanks to high-paying government, lobbying and law jobs, 21.1% of DC residents earn this amount or more. However, the city’s stark wealth disparity means that while some enjoy immense financial success, plenty of others in the city struggle with extreme income inequality. A real case of the haves and the have nots