Just looked into something that's been bugging me - what percentage of people make over 100k anyway? Turns out if you're pulling in six figures, you're doing better than most, but the reality is way more complicated than it sounds.

So here's the thing: as an individual earner making $100k, you're crushing it compared to the median of around $53k. But when you look at what percentage of people make over 100k at the household level, it's actually about 43% - which means you're sitting around the 57th percentile if we're talking household income. Not bad, but definitely not rare. The median household is bringing in about $84k, so you're modestly ahead there.

The wild part? You're technically middle class. According to the research, middle income for a three-person household ranges from about $56k to $170k, and $100k puts you right in that zone. Not struggling, but not wealthy either. It's this weird middle ground where you're ahead of most people statistically, but you don't feel rich.

But here's where it gets real - location matters everything. In San Francisco or NYC, $100k gets eaten up by rent and childcare. Meanwhile, someone in the Midwest or rural areas with the same income lives completely differently. A single person and a family of four at $100k are basically living different lives. So when people ask what percentage of people make over 100k, the honest answer is yeah, about 43% of households do, but whether that's actually comfortable depends entirely on where you live and how many people you're supporting. Six figures used to mean something, but now it's just a number.