What Salary Actually Makes You Upper Class in 2025?

Pew Research says you need $169,800+ household income to hit upper class. That's roughly $84,900 per person if there's two earners.

But here's the plot twist: salary alone doesn't cut it. The ultra-wealthy rarely live off paychecks alone — they've got investments, assets, passive income flowing.

Location matters way more than people think. Same $60k salary crushes it in Wyoming but gets squeezed in San Francisco. ZipRecruiter data shows upper-class earners range $39k-$86k depending on region.

Real talk: you could hit that income number and still feel broke if your cost of living is insane. Meanwhile, someone making less in a cheaper area might actually have more breathing room.

So what does "upper class" even mean? Numbers tell part of the story, but your actual financial freedom depends on the full picture — debt, expenses, assets, where you live. The salary is just one piece.