Question 1

What income is considered rich in the United States?

Accepted Answer

Using equivalised disposable income (OECD IDD, income year 2022), $105,800 puts you in the top 10% in the US, and $260,000 in the top 1%. These are after-tax figures adjusted for household size — directly comparable to the European figures on this site.

Question 2

Is $60,000 a good income in the United States?

Accepted Answer

An equivalised disposable income of $60,000 sits between the 60th and 70th percentile (the 60th is $55,200, the 70th is $66,700). It's comfortably above the national median of $46,000 — meaning your after-tax standard of living exceeds that of most Americans.

Question 3

What is the median income in the United States?

Accepted Answer

The median equivalised disposable income in the US is about $46,000 per year (OECD IDD, income year 2022). This is after federal and state taxes, after government transfers, and adjusted for household size. It's lower than the Census's headline median of ~$82,000 because that figure is pre-tax and not equivalised.

Question 4

Why is this number so different from the $82,000 median I see elsewhere?

Accepted Answer

The Census's widely-cited median of ~$82,000 is total household income before taxes, with no adjustment for household size. This site uses equivalised disposable income: after taxes, after transfers, divided by a household-size factor. That makes it directly comparable to European figures. A US household of four earning $82,000 pre-tax might have ~$65,000 after tax, which equivalised (divided by sqrt(4)=2) gives ~$32,500 per equivalent adult.

Question 5

How does this compare to European countries?

Accepted Answer

The US median equivalised disposable income (~$46,000) is higher than Germany's (~€29,000) and France's (~€25,600), reflecting higher pre-tax incomes and lower tax rates on middle earners. Switzerland (~CHF 50,500) is the closest comparison. All four figures are now on the same basis — after tax, adjusted for household size — so the cross-country comparison on this page is meaningful.

Am I rich in the United States?

Income distribution in the United States

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What the numbers actually say