AnswerMedian household income in major US cities ranges from $57K (San Antonio) to $98K (San Diego). The national median is $74,580 (2023 ACS). Pick a city below to see its full percentile breakdown.
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2023 5-Year Estimates
US Income Percentile by City [2026]
Median, top 20%, and top 5% household-income thresholds for the largest US metros — sourced directly from the Census Bureau's latest ACS release.
AI engineer building pSEO financial tools. Data sourced from the Federal Reserve (SCF), US Census Bureau (ACS), and Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
City-level income data matters far more than the national figure when you're trying to judge where you stand. A $120,000 household income puts you comfortably above the median in Philadelphia or San Antonio, but barely reaches the 60th percentile in San Diego. That gap is driven by three forces the national median hides: regional price parities (RPPs) that vary by 20–30% between metros, housing cost structures that reshape the bottom of every city's income distribution, and industry mix — tech and biotech metros skew the upper tail, while service-heavy cities broaden the middle.
All figures on this hub come from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), the largest ongoing household survey in the country. The 5-year estimates we use cover 2019–2023 and aggregate roughly 3.5 million household interviews per year for statistical reliability at the city level. "Household income" is the sum of every earner in a dwelling — wages, self-employment, Social Security, interest, dividends, and public assistance — before taxes but after employer retirement contributions.
Click any city below for a full percentile breakdown (p20, p40, p60, p80, p95), housing cost context, and a comparison against peer metros. Each city page is updated when the ACS refreshes each October.
Quick compare — median, top 20%, top 5%
Household-income thresholds for the 10largest covered cities, sorted by median. "Top 20%" is the income required to rank in the upper fifth of that city; "Top 5%" is the 95th percentile.
| City | Median | Top 20% | Top 5% |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | $98,657 | $210,000 | $425,000 |
| Austin, TX | $86,556 | $190,000 | $380,000 |
| New York, NY | $76,577 | $175,000 | $375,000 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $76,135 | $170,000 | $360,000 |
| Phoenix, AZ | $72,391 | $155,000 | $300,000 |
| Chicago, IL | $71,673 | $160,000 | $325,000 |
| Dallas, TX | $63,985 | $148,000 | $310,000 |
| Houston, TX | $62,894 | $145,000 | $300,000 |
| San Antonio, TX | $62,847 | $140,000 | $275,000 |
| Philadelphia, PA | $57,537 | $135,000 | $275,000 |
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates. Figures in 2023 USD. City-level percentiles interpolated from published quintile upper limits (B19080).
Browse cities
San Diego
CA- Population
- 1,381,611
- Median income
- $98,657
Austin
TX- Population
- 974,447
- Median income
- $86,556
New York
NY- Population
- 8,335,897
- Median income
- $76,577
Los Angeles
CA- Population
- 3,822,238
- Median income
- $76,135
Phoenix
AZ- Population
- 1,650,070
- Median income
- $72,391
Chicago
IL- Population
- 2,664,452
- Median income
- $71,673
Dallas
TX- Population
- 1,299,544
- Median income
- $63,985
Houston
TX- Population
- 2,302,878
- Median income
- $62,894
San Antonio
TX- Population
- 1,472,909
- Median income
- $62,847
Philadelphia
PA- Population
- 1,550,542
- Median income
- $57,537
Methodology & data sources
Calculations on this page use published benchmarks from US federal statistical agencies. Percentile breakpoints are interpolated linearly between published cells. Figures are in current-year USD unless noted. Numbers are educational estimates, not personalized financial advice.
Coverage note. This hub currently covers the 10 largest US cities. We're expanding to the Top 300 cities through 2026 as the full ACS 5-year file is parsed — subscribe for updates when new metros come online.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median income in the US?
The US national median household income was $74,580 in 2023 according to the Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS). This is the midpoint — half of US households earn more, half earn less. The figure rises each year with inflation and real wage growth; the 2024 ACS release in fall 2025 showed an updated figure, but 2023 5-year estimates remain the most comprehensive source for city-level comparisons.
Why do cities have different income percentiles?
Three forces drive city-to-city variation. First, regional price parities (RPPs) differ — a $100,000 salary in San Francisco has roughly the same buying power as $72,000 in San Antonio, so high-wage metros cluster highly paid industries. Second, cost of living (especially housing) sets a floor — cities with expensive housing cannot retain low-wage workers, pushing their distribution upward. Third, industry mix matters: tech hubs like San Diego and Austin skew to higher incomes, while legacy manufacturing or service-heavy metros have broader tails.
How often is this data updated?
The Census Bureau releases updated ACS data every October. The 5-year estimates (which we use for city-level percentiles) aggregate the prior five years of sampling for statistical reliability — the 2023 5-year file covers 2019–2023. We refresh this site each fall when new ACS tables drop.
Is household income the same as personal income?
No. Household income sums all earners in a single dwelling — a dual-earner couple counts as one household with combined income. Personal income is per-worker. Most percentile tables (including ours) report household income because that is what the Census publishes for city-level geography. A median personal income is typically 35–45% lower than median household income in the same city.