Just looked at some Census data from 2021 and it's wild how much the income gap varies by state. Like, to crack into the top 5% in Mississippi you need around $180k, but in Connecticut or DC you're looking at $250k+ just to get there. That's a huge difference.

What really got me is the multiplier effect. In some states the top 5% earners make like 7.5x what the median household makes, while in others it's closer to 5x. New York's one of the most extreme - if you hit that $250k threshold there, you're pulling in around $574k on average while the median person makes $75k. That's a 7.6x gap.

Makes you think about what 'rich' actually means depending on where you live. Even hitting top 3 percent income levels in cheaper states like Arkansas or Mississippi seems more achievable than in high-cost areas. The data shows you need $193k in Arkansas to be top 5%, but average income for those households jumps to $344k. Meanwhile in places like California or Massachusetts, that floor is $250k just to enter the club.

Curious what this looks like now in 2026 with inflation and everything. Pretty sure these numbers have shifted quite a bit since 2021.