California household income — percentiles + top 1%.
California’s median household income is $100,007 (+$16,415 vs the national median of $83,592), ranking #8 of 51 jurisdictions. The top 1% threshold (p99) in California is $856,580 — a high-income state where the gap between median and top 1% is wide (often driven by tech, finance, or federal-employment concentration).
California household income percentiles
| Percentile | California household income | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| p10 | $19,142 | Bottom 10% (federal assistance threshold) |
| p25 | $48,000 | Bottom quartile |
| p50 | $100,007 | Median household |
| p75 | $182,510 | Top quartile |
| p90 | $300,332 | Top 10% |
| p95 | $401,472 | Top 5% |
| p99 | $856,580 | Top 1% |
For interactive percentile lookup (enter your household income, get exact percentile), open the California income percentile calculator →
California median household income by age
| Age cohort | Median household income |
|---|---|
| Under 25 | $45,000 |
| 25-34 | $85,000 |
| 35-44 | $112,000 |
| 45-54 (peak earning) | $118,000 |
| 55-64 | $107,000 |
| 65+ | $71,000 |
Compare to your age cohort for a peer-relevant ranking — the all-ages median can be misleading if you’re early-career or retired.
How California compares
California ranks #8 of 51 jurisdictions for median household income. The spread between p10 ($19,142) and p99 ($856,580) is $837,438 — a 44.7× ratio, indicating wide income dispersion. For the live state-vs-state heat map see the interactive income percentile map.
California metros by household income
State median hides metro variation. Los Angeles and the smaller California metros often differ by 30-50%. Click any city to compare cost-of-living against income.
- Los Angelesmedian $76,000 · pop 13.2MCOL 173 →
- San Franciscomedian $131,000 · pop 4.7MCOL 214 →
- San Josemedian $137,200 · pop 2.0MCOL 198 →
- San Diegomedian $91,000 · pop 3.3MCOL 163 →
- Riversidemedian $75,800 · pop 4.7MCOL 122 →
- Sacramentomedian $78,600 · pop 2.4MCOL 126 →
- Oaklandmedian $76,800 · pop 0.4MCOL 175 →
- Fresnomedian $56,600 · pop 1.0MCOL 103 →
- Bakersfieldmedian $65,200 · pop 0.9MCOL 104 →
- Stocktonmedian $60,400 · pop 0.8MCOL 110 →
California household income — common questions
What is the median household income in California in 2024?
California's median household income is approximately $100,007 (Census CPS 2024 income year). That's +$16,415 vs the national median of $83,592.
What income puts you in the top 1% in California?
The top 1% threshold (p99) in California is approximately $856,580 of household income. The top 5% threshold is $401,472; top 10% is $300,332.
What is considered low income in California?
Households below the 25th percentile (under $48,000/yr) are typically considered low-income in California; households below the 10th percentile (under $19,142) qualify for most federal + state assistance programs.
Are there any California-specific income distribution quirks?
California has the widest income dispersion of any large state — Bay Area median household income exceeds $130k while Central Valley counties average under $60k.
For interactive percentile lookup (enter your household income, see exactly where you rank in California + nationally), open the full California income percentile guide →
Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial · Source: US Census CPS; state-level deeper percentiles via DQYDJ. Last verified 2026-04-19.