California's wealth standards have been reset. Do you think a six-figure salary means you're part of the upper class? In California, to be considered wealthy, you need to earn at least $192,668 a year, which is $23,000 higher than the national average.

The most magical thing is: this money might not be enough in San Francisco. A two-bedroom apartment rents for over $4,000 a month, the median home price exceeds a million, and daily expenses are ridiculously high. The same $192,668 can provide a comfortable life in Fresno, but in the Bay Area, you might still be worrying about rent.

According to data from the Census Bureau, the median income range in California is $64,223-$192,668. This means that earning $200k doesn't necessarily shake off the feeling of "still falling short." True upper-class status is not based on annual salary figures, but rather on asset accumulation—data from 2021 shows that the average net worth of upper-class families is $803,400, which is 33 times that of lower-class families.

So, when talking about the standards of the rich in California, geographical location is the key.