Households earning $200,000 or more are flocking to these 10 states—5 are in the South (2024)

A $200,000 household income is more than most people earn across the U.S. In fact, just 12% of U.S. households earn $200,000 or more annually, according to Census Bureau data.

While that may be nearly enough for most Americans to feel comfortable financially, $200,000 will inevitably go further in places where the cost of living is generally lower.

It may even motivate some people to move. While people move for several reasons, cost can certainly be a major factor. Recently, even high-earning families seem to be flocking to lower-cost states, especially in the South.

Between 2020 and 2021, Florida saw the largest net migration of high-earning residents, with over 40,000 households earning $200,000 or more moving to the Sunshine State, according to new research from SmartAsset, which looked at data from the IRS.

Florida lost 12,567 high-earning households during the same period, bringing its net migration to 27,567 households.

It's not the only Southern state to see its affluent population grow. Five of the 10 states that saw the largest net migration of high earners are in the South.

Here's a look at the 10 most-popular states high earners flocked to between 2020 and 2021.

1. Florida

2. Texas

  • Inflow: 22,751
  • Outflow: 13,743
  • Net migration: 9,008

3. North Carolina

  • Inflow: 11,437
  • Outflow: 5,991
  • Net migration: 5,446

4. Arizona

  • Inflow: 9,763
  • Outflow: 5,200
  • Net migration: 4,563

5. South Carolina

  • Inflow: 7,312
  • Outflow: 2,802
  • Net migration: 4,510

6. Tennessee

  • Inflow: 7,353
  • Outflow: 3,436
  • Net migration: 3,917

7. Nevada

  • Inflow: 5,576
  • Outflow: 2,791
  • Net migration: 2,785

8. Idaho

  • Inflow: 3,246
  • Outflow: 931
  • Net migration: 2,315

9. Colorado

  • Inflow: 8,771
  • Outflow: 6,719
  • Net migration: 2,052

10. Utah

  • Inflow: 3,579
  • Outflow: 1,827
  • Net migration: 1,752

Where $200,000 households are moving

High-earning Americans seem to seek states that offer the lowest tax burdens. Neither Florida nor Texas collect state income tax, which could be part of the reason they lead the rankings. Tennessee and Nevada also do not collect state income tax.

The ranking is based on net migration, but if it looked at inflows alone, California and New York would rank third and fourth, respectively. However, both states saw a greater number of high-income households leave, bringing their net migration totals into the negatives.

New Jersey, Washington and Virginia similarly saw some of the country's highest number of $200,000 households move in but had even more leave.

Despite being historically more affordable than other parts of the country, states in the Sun Belt — which includes those across the southern and southwestern parts of the U.S. — haven't been immune to rising prices as inflation has increased over the past couple of years. Several cities in Florida, Texas and Arizona ranked among the places where inflation has been rising the fastest in a recent WalletHub study.

DON'T MISS: Want to be smarter and more successful with your money, work & life?Sign up for our new newsletter!

Take your business to the next level: Register for CNBC's free Small Business Playbook virtual event on August 2 at 1 p.m. ET to learn from premier experts and entrepreneurs how you can beat inflation, hire top talent and get access to capital.

Households earning $200,000 or more are flocking to these 10 states—5 are in the South (1)

VIDEO8:5808:58

How a 31-year-old making $150,000 living on a school bus spends her money

Households earning $200,000 or more are flocking to these 10 states—5 are in the South (2024)

FAQs

Households earning $200,000 or more are flocking to these 10 states—5 are in the South? ›

Idaho's low taxes, strong employment and GDP growth, and regulatory environment have pulled in both entrepreneurs and leaders in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology. Texas had the second-highest total net migration with around 9,000, followed by North Carolina at over 5,400.

Why are Americans making over $200,000 flocking to Idaho and Montana? ›

Idaho's low taxes, strong employment and GDP growth, and regulatory environment have pulled in both entrepreneurs and leaders in agriculture, manufacturing, and technology. Texas had the second-highest total net migration with around 9,000, followed by North Carolina at over 5,400.

What percentage of American households have incomes of $200 000 or more? ›

Download Table Data
StateOver 200k100k-150k
California13.3%17.1%
Connecticut13.2%17.6%
Virginia11.6%17.2%
New York11.5%16%
48 more rows

Is 200K enough in California? ›

Sure, as a single person 200K is doing well. But, 200K with a family of 4 (2 kids and a wife) is definately scraping by on the penninsula or SF. The only way that's not scraping by is if you bought your house over 20 years ago (or during 2010-2012 housing slump) OR you got yourself a Rent controlled apartment.

Where does a 200K household income rank? ›

One half, 49.98%, of all income in the US was earned by households with an income over $100,000, the top twenty percent. Over one quarter, 28.5%, of all income was earned by the top 8%, those households earning more than $150,000 a year. The top 3.65%, with incomes over $200,000, earned 17.5%.

Why are people flocking to Idaho? ›

Family Living and Employment Opportunities

The state has seen a decrease in overall crime rates, and median home prices are affordable, ranging from $150,000 to $350,000 in most areas. In April 2022, Idaho's unemployment rate was nearly one percent lower than the national average, indicating promising job prospects.

Why are Americans flocking to Florida? ›

People are moving to Florida in record numbers, and not just retirees. Young people are being lured by the weather, a lack of state income tax, and more job opportunities. But inflation, insurance, and healthcare can make it costly to live in the state.

How many Americans make $200,000 a year? ›

In 2022, about 14.88 million households in the United States had an income of 200,000 U.S. dollars or more a year.

Is 200K a good salary in Texas? ›

200K Salary in Texas. $175,007 is the 75th percentile. Salaries above this are outliers.

What is the top 1% in the United States? ›

How to Make the Top 1% List
2021 Average Annual Wages
GroupAvg. Wages
Top 1% of Earners$819,324
Top 5% of Earners$335,891
Top 10% of Earners$167,639
1 more row

How much salary do I need to live comfortably in California? ›

The data used in the study analyzed the cost of living in each city as of 2024. In some California cities, like Bakersfield and Fresno, a single person would need to make at least $89,190 to “live comfortably,” the data shows.

How much do you have to make a year to live comfortably in California? ›

Here, a single person needs $110,781 annually or $53.26 in hourly wages to be comfortable, according to the data. For a family of two working adults with two children, a salary of $276,557 is needed. Anaheim and Long Beach also made the list, tying for #14.

How much do you need to make a year to live comfortably in California? ›

Overall, SmartAsset found that to live comfortably in any major city, you need to make about $96,500 annually, up immensely from the nearly $68,500 it estimated last year. A family of four would need to make much more at $235,000 to avoid living paycheck to paycheck. You can view SmartAsset's full list here.

Is $200,000 a good household income? ›

A $200,000 household income is more than most people earn across the U.S. In fact, just 12% of U.S. households earn $200,000 or more annually, according to Census Bureau data.

Is 200k a good salary for a single person? ›

If you had an income of $200,000, that would put you in the top 12% of household incomes or the top 5% of individual incomes in 2022. Though I prefer household income over individual income, no matter how you cut it, $200k a year puts you on the higher end of the income spectrum.

What salary is considered rich for a single person? ›

Based on that figure, an annual income of $500,000 or more would make you rich. The Economic Policy Institute uses a different baseline to determine who constitutes the top 1% and the top 5%. For 2021, you're in the top 1% if you earn $819,324 or more each year. The top 5% of income earners make $335,891 per year.

Why are so many people moving to Idaho? ›

One of the main drivers of population growth in Idaho is the state's strong economy. Idaho has a diverse economy that includes industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and technology. The state's low unemployment rate and strong job growth have attracted many people to move to Idaho in search of work.

Where are wealthy Americans flocking to now? ›

The most moved-to states in 2023 included South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona and Florida, with cities like Tucson, Arizona; Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and Raleigh, North Carolina being particularly attractive because of their low cost of living, ...

What state is moving to Idaho the most? ›

Stacker compiled a list of states where the most people are moving to Idaho using data from the Census Bureau.
  • #8. Colorado. ...
  • #7. Nevada. ...
  • #6. Texas. ...
  • #5. Arizona. ...
  • #4. Utah. ...
  • #3. Oregon. ...
  • #2. Washington. ...
  • #1. California. Updated Feb 22, 2024.
Feb 22, 2024

What is considered high income in Idaho? ›

Upper Class Salary in Idaho
Annual SalaryMonthly Pay
Top Earners$85,435$7,119
75th Percentile$67,553$5,629
Average$59,682$4,973
25th Percentile$38,744$3,228

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Moshe Kshlerin

Last Updated:

Views: 6364

Rating: 4.7 / 5 (57 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Moshe Kshlerin

Birthday: 1994-01-25

Address: Suite 609 315 Lupita Unions, Ronnieburgh, MI 62697

Phone: +2424755286529

Job: District Education Designer

Hobby: Yoga, Gunsmithing, Singing, 3D printing, Nordic skating, Soapmaking, Juggling

Introduction: My name is Moshe Kshlerin, I am a gleaming, attractive, outstanding, pleasant, delightful, outstanding, famous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.