The upper end, in context.
What income is top 10% or top 1% in Chicago?
For single adults ages 25–34 in the Chicago metro, the 90th-percentile annual income benchmark is $124,619. For couples in that age band, it is $275,078 combined. The top-1% benchmarks are $283,414 for single adults and $732,501 for couples.
These are age-specific benchmarks, not one all-age cutoff. About the comparison
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The threshold changes with age and household type.
| Age band | Single adults: top 10% | Single adults: top 1% | Couples: top 10% | Couples: top 1% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18–24 | $72,937 | $131,808 | $119,826 | $336,554 |
| 25–34 | $124,619 | $283,414 | $275,078 | $732,501 |
| 35–44 | $145,875 | $328,219 | $364,687 | $821,068 |
| 45–54 | $145,875 | $491,390 | $385,527 | $894,005 |
| 55–64 | $141,707 | $424,079 | $341,764 | $847,117 |
| 65–74 | $109,406 | $374,482 | $265,076 | $741,149 |
| 75+ | $100,758 | $380,317 | $233,400 | $570,996 |
The 90th percentile is the survey benchmark with roughly 90% of the group at or below it. Ties and survey weights mean it is not a precise boundary selecting exactly one tenth of people. The 99th percentile is the top-1% benchmark; upper-tail estimates are especially sensitive to small samples and Census top-coding. Couple income includes both partners and uses the older partner's age.
Other questions worth asking.
All metro comparisons and national age benchmarks →
- Average net worth at 25: national context
- Average net worth at 30: national context
- Average net worth at 35: national context
- Average net worth at 40: national context
- Median income at 30: national context
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