What is the average salary to feel financially healthy?
If you want to feel financially healthy, CNBC reported that Americans said they need to earn $122K annually. If your goal is to rank in the top 1% of American wealth, data from the IRS said you'd need an adjusted gross income (AGI) of $540,009 on your individual tax return.
Can You Be Financially Stable Earning the Median Income? The median household income in the U.S. is just under $75,000, so it makes sense that the largest proportion of those surveyed (45%) said that it's possible to be financially stable by earning between $50,000 and $100,000 a year.
Here are the key findings: Most Americans think money does buy happiness: 59% of Americans agree with this, and this shoots up to 67% of Gen Zers and 72% of millennials. Happiness is a six-figure salary: On average, Americans say they need $284,167 per year to be happy. Millennials are driving up the average.
Generally, an income that comfortably covers living expenses, allows for savings, and provides for leisure activities is considered good. In the United States, median household income is around $68,700 according to recent data. However, in cities with higher costs of living, a good salary might be considerably higher.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, the average U.S. annual salary in Q4 of 2023 was $59,384. This is up 5.4% from the same time period in 2022, when the average American was making $56,316 per year. Average weekly earnings reached $1,142, while the average American made $4,949 per month in Q4 of 2023.
$80,000 is about $5,000 higher than the U.S. median household income, so many people would consider it very good for a single person. “Good” is always a relative term when it comes to salary; whether or not the amount you earn covers your expenses is a highly personal dynamic.
That said, the typical age of financial independence should be between 20-23 years old, according to a Bankrate survey. Break the numbers down by cost category, and differences of opinion can be pretty wide.
How Many Americans Are Living Paycheck to Paycheck? A 2023 survey conducted by Payroll.org highlighted that 78% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck, a 6% increase from the previous year. In other words, more than three-quarters of Americans struggle to save or invest after paying for their monthly expenses.
The amount of money needed to be considered financially stable is subjective and depends on a person's individual situation. But generally, having a net worth of $1 million or more can indicate that someone is financially stable or secure and has a good grasp of money management.
As per recent data by the Bureau of Labour and Statistics, the average salary in the US per month is $6,228 or $74,738 per year. When we speak of 2024, the gross minimum pay in the US comes to $27.77 per hour.
How much money a year is middle class?
But data from the U.S. Census Bureau cites a different number as the average salary: just under $75,000. What does this all mean? By the Census data, it means that if you earn between $50,000 and $150,000 a year, you are considered middle class.
To live “comfortably” as a single person in 99 of the largest U.S. metro areas, you'll need a median income of $93,933, according to a recent SmartAsset analysis.
States that require the highest living wage for individuals are Hawaii ($112,411) followed by Massachusetts ($87,909) and then California ($80,013).
The Pew Research Center defines the middle class as households that earn between two-thirds and double the median U.S. household income, which was $65,000 in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.21 Using Pew's yardstick, middle income is made up of people who make between $43,350 and $130,000.7 This is a ...
“Regarding the salary Americans should target to live comfortably, it's more complex than suggesting a one-size-fits-all number,” Stern stated. “A salary range of $80,001 to $95,000 is more reasonable for living comfortably, this aligns more closely with the reality in high-cost living areas.”
One commonly used definition from the Pew Research Center sets a middle-class income between two-thirds and twice the national median income, or $67,819 to $203,458 for a family of four in 2022. Most Americans consider the lower end of that range, $75,000 and $100,000, to be middle class, according to the Post poll.
Today, middle class describes a broad economic group making up roughly half of the U.S. population. Typically, it has consisted of those in white-collar jobs, small businesses or skilled trades. According to the Pew Research Center, the middle class includes Americans making between $38,133 and $114,400 in 2023.
One hundred thousand dollars a month is an excellent salary in the US. It equates to $1.2M per year. As a long time CEO, I have many executives that earn mid to upper seven figure salaries.
For most individuals and small families, the answer to “Is $100,000 a good salary?” is a resounding “yes.” Cost of living and family size can affect how far $100,000 will go, but generally speaking, you can live comfortably on $100,000 a year.
Peak earning years are generally thought to be late 40s to late 50s*. The latest figures show women's peak between ages 35 and 54, men between 45 and 64. After that, most people's incomes typically level off. Promotions favor younger people with longer futures*.
What age group is the richest?
A little less than 40% of Americans under 35 own a home as of 2022, per the latest Census data. On the other hand, Americans between the ages of 65 and 74 have the highest median net worth out of all age cohorts, increasing their net worth from a median of $308,800 to $409,900 over the same time period.
Average Salary for Ages 25-34
As a general rule, earnings tend to rise in your 20s and 30s as you start to climb up the ladder. Also, this set includes many people who received professional degrees from graduate schools, further bringing up salaries.
In 2022, 23 percent of Americans had no emergency savings. Because building savings takes time, McBride recommends people automate contributing to their savings accounts as much as possible.
Around 23% of Americans are debt free, according to the most recent data available from the Federal Reserve. That figure factors in every type of debt, from credit card balances and student loans to mortgages, car loans and more.
When it comes to the percentage of people making over $100k per year in the US, it's around 28%. 2. Now, regarding differences based on state or city, there can be variations. In some states or cities with higher costs of living or thriving industries, the percentage of people earning higher incomes might be higher.
