![\"the](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Phoenix-Skyline-Getty.jpg\")
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe downtown Phoenix skyline.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe downtown Phoenix skyline.\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
Kruck20<\/a>\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Big houses, fancy cars, foreign vacations. The lifestyles of the rich and the famous<\/a> (and the not-so-famous) are the envy and aspirations of many.\u00a0<\/p>\n But what does it really take to be \u201crich\u201d these days? How much money do you really need?\u00a0<\/p>\n That number varies depending on where you live. What counts as rich in one place will barely make a dent just a few states over \u2014 or if you\u2019re in the Phoenix area, just a few cities or towns to the east or west.<\/p>\n The financial site MoneyLion<\/a> used the 2024 1-year American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau to determine what it takes to be rich in each state. The site looked at how much money you needed to earn to be in the top 20% of earners, and also looked at the average household incomes of the top 20% and 5% for each state.<\/p>\n In Arizona as a whole, you need a household income of $156,723 to be considered the top 20% of earners in the state. That\u2019s nearly $40,000 less than what it takes to be in the top 20% in Connecticut, for example, but nearly $37,000 more than in West Virginia.<\/p>\n The average household income of the top 20% in Arizona is $275,969, while the average income of the top 5% is $491,192. For reference, the median household income for the state is just $81,486.<\/p>\n Phoenix New Times conducted a similar analysis to determine what \u201crich\u201d means in Phoenix and its surrounding cities. We focused on the minimum income to be in the top 20% of households \u2014 and, for perverse kicks, looked at the average income of the top 5%.\u00a0<\/p>\n Here\u2019s how they all rank.<\/p>\n 10. Glendale<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold: $140,107 Located northwest of Phoenix, Glendale boasts State Farm Stadium, the home to the Arizona Cardinals, as its claim to fame. The suburb has an estimated population of just over 260,000 and has hosted three Super Bowls so far.<\/p>\n 9. Tempe<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold: $153,329 Home to the Arizona State University mothership, Tempe is a vibrant college town. It has a population of nearly 190,000 and is famous for its easy access to desert trails and the Tempe Town Lake.<\/p>\n 8. Mesa<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold $156,513 Mesa is the second-largest city in the Phoenix metro area, with a population of around half a million. It\u2019s also considered the last stop for outdoor enthusiasts going to Tonto National Forest and the Sonoran Desert.<\/p>\n 7. Phoenix<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold: $159,071 Phoenix is the state\u2019s capital and the fifth-largest city in the U.S. It has great access to the outdoors \u2014 whether you\u2019re looking for golf or desert hikes \u2014 and a growing foodie scene.\u00a0<\/p>\n 5. Peoria<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold: $190,600 This Phoenix suburb is known for its outdoor access and is located near Lake Pleasant Regional Park.<\/p>\n 4. Chandler<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold: $195,543 Chandler has a rapidly growing population approaching 300,000. It\u2019s nicknamed the \u201cSilicon Desert\u201d and has become a hub for technology and semiconductor manufacturing, though it recently rejected a high-profile data center project<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n 3. Gilbert<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold: $203,596 Gilbert boasts the fourth-largest city population in Arizona. It was named the second-safest city<\/a> in the U.S., but also made headlines in the last two years for a pack of violent, roving teenagers known as the \u201cGilbert Goons.\u201d<\/p>\n 2. Scottsdale<\/p>\n Top 20% threshold: $230,856
Median household income: $75,711
Top 5% average: $472,681<\/p>\n
Median household income: $78,004
Top 5% average: $427,047<\/p>\n
Median household income: $85,580
Top 5% average: $453,951<\/p>\n
Median household income: $85,246
Top 5% average: $465,520<\/p>\n
Median household income: $97,333
Top 5% average: $596,601<\/p>\n
Median household income: $110,284
Top 5% average: $601,631<\/p>\n
Median household income: $124,968
Top 5% average: $532,020<\/p>\n
Median household income: $104,893
Top 5% average: $937,970<\/p>\n