12 States Where the Top 5% Earn the Most

Tech wealth and migration from California have given prime planning prospects a big income boost in some states in recent years, according to a big new batch of U.S. census data. The cutoff for ranking in the top 5% in terms of household income increased 29.8% in the typical state between 2017 and 2022, to $422,224. Median household income grew at about the same rate, or 30.3%, over that period, to $75,149 per year. For a look at the 12 states with the highest 2022 income cutoffs for the top 5%, see the gallery above. What it means: The Census Bureau has pumped out a big new batch of free, public-domain data that you can use to fine-tune your marketing efforts. The data: The Census Bureau included information about household income, health, disability, employment and many other factors in a release of five-year detailed tables based on responses to the bureau's American Community Survey program. The five-year tables are based on a bigger samples than the program's one-year estimates and are believed to be more accurate. Financial professionals can get tables for many variables for cities, counties, congressional districts and many other types of geographic areas as well as for states.