How Much Money It Takes to Be in the Top 1% In Every State
Money + Markets

How Much Money It Takes to Be in the Top 1% In Every State

Gary Cameron

From Occupy Wall Street to the “Fight for 15” movement to Bernie Sanders’ campaign, we’ve heard the cries to narrow the gap between America’s poorest and richest.

But just how wide is that gap? A new report from the liberal Economic Policy Institute answers the question in remarkable detail.

In 2013, the top 1 percent of Americans made 25 times as much in income, on average, as the bottom 99 percent, the report found. And the gap has been widening over time. The study found that between 1979 and 2013, the top one percent’s share of income doubled nationally, increasing from 10 percent to 20.1 percent.

Related: Economic Models Must Account for ‘Who Has the Power’

By using 2013 tax return information, the EPI also showed huge variations in the income gap by state, metropolitan area and county. The map below, for example, shows the state-by-state differences in the average income of the top 1 percent and the other 99 percent. In New York State, the average one-percenter makes $2 million a year, more than 45 times what the average earner in the bottom 99 percent makes. In Alaska, on the other hand, the gap between the average earnings is a much narrower 13 times.

This next map shows what residents had to earn in 2013 to be in the top 1 percent in each state. The bar is highest in the Northeastern states of Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Massachusetts, as well as the District of Columbia. The income levels for the top 1% were lowest in New Mexico, Arkansas, West Virginia, Mississippi and Kentucky.

Scan the map or search the list below it to learn more about the top 1 percent and income inequality in your state.

1. Connecticut
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $660,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $56,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 43 times

2. District of Columbia
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $555,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.5 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $63,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 24 times

3. New Jersey
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $548,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.5 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $57,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 25 times

4. Massachusetts
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $539,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.7 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $56,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 30 times

5. New York
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $518,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $44,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 45 times

6. North Dakota
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $482,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.3 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $61,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 21 times

7. California
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $454,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $49,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 29 times

8. Texas
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $425,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.3 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $48,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 27 times

9. Maryland
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $422,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $60,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 17 times

10. Illinois
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $416,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $49,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 25 times

11. Colorado
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $411,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $55,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 20 times

12. Minnesota
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $411,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $53,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 20 times

13. Virginia
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $406,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $988,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $56,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 18 times

14. Washington
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $388,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $50,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 22 times

15. South Dakota
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $387,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $53,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 19 times

16. Florida
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $385,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.3 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $37,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 35 times

17. Wyoming
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $369,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $52,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 41 times

18. Alaska
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $365,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $833,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $63,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 13 times

19. New Hampshire
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $360,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $57,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 18 times

20. Pennsylvania
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $360,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $926,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $46,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 20 times

21. Kansas
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $352,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $981,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $50,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 20 times

22. Georgia
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $346,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $858,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $41,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 21 times

23. Nebraska
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $346,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $873,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $57,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 15 times

24. Delaware
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $343,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $769,109
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $48,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 16 times

25. Rhode Island
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $337,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $885,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $48,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 19 times

26. Utah
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $334,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $941,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $50,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 19 times

27. North Carolina
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $328,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $746,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $42,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 18 times

28. Louisiana
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $325,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $860,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $42,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 21 times

29. Oklahoma
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $325,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $930,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $45,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 21 times

30. Iowa
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $317,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $714,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $51,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 14 times

31. Ohio
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $317,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $753,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $42,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 18 times

32. Oregon
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $313,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $754,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $41,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 19 times

33. Nevada
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $312,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $36,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 38 times

34. Wisconsin
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $312,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $888,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $47,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 19 times

35. Arizona
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $309,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $785,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $38,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 21 times

36. Tennessee
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $309,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $820,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 20 times

37. Michigan
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $307,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $834,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $38,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 22 times

38. Missouri
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $306,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $834,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $42,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 20 times

39. Vermont
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $299,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $736,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $46,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 16 times

40. Montana
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $298,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $731,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $42,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 17 times

41. Indiana
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $297,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $718,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $43,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 17 times

42. Idaho
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $292,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $738,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $45,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 16 times

43. South Carolina
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $288,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $669,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $37,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 18 times

44. Alabama
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $284,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $665,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $39,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 17 times

45. Hawaii
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $282,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $690,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $51,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 14 times

46. Maine
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $282,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $613,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $41,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 15 times

47. Kentucky
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $268,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $620,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $37,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 17 times

48. Mississippi
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $265,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $565,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $33,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 17 times

49. West Virginia
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $245,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $489,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $34,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 14 times

50. Arkansas
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $237,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $750,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $36,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 21 times

51. New Mexico
How much you need to earn to be in the top 1 percent: $231,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $594,000
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $38,000
How much does the 1 percent make compared to the bottom 99 percent? 16 times

TOP READS FROM THE FISCAL TIMES