# What Percent Are You? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 18, 2012, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882 "2012-01-18T05:41:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/21 "2012-01-18T15:12:22Z")
Top 9% nationally, but only top 23% locally. It’s really freaking expensive here (DC/MD/VA outside metro areas), and incomes reflect that. Neither my husband nor I would get paid anything like what we get paid here anywhere else in the country. If it were just my own income, though, top 39% nationally, and bottom 31% locally. So yay, marriage! ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/22 "2012-01-18T15:15:08Z")
> [@Motorgirl](#): > > Correction, we’d also take a hit in DC, where we’d be in the top 10% Check out where you’d stand in Stamford, CT. It’s the only area I could find with even higher incomes than here. ETA: besides SF, which you already mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/23 "2012-01-18T15:55:30Z")
Bottom 38% where I live. Which isn’t a poll option. Almost anywhere else it would put me in the top half. By the way, are we supposed to put taxable income, after deductions, or pre-deductions? ---
**Author:** ![BetsQ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@BetsQ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BetsQ)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/24 "2012-01-18T15:58:40Z")
Top 5% nationally. I’m in the DC metro area, but the figures for this area all so “outside of metro areas”. In that case, I’m top 12%. I’m having a hard time guessing for the metro area. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/25 "2012-01-18T16:05:21Z")
I am only in the top 25% nationally, but in the top 10% locally. What’s sad is that before government started killing IT wages I was closer to top 5%. My income level has pretty much stayed flat over the last 12 years, while most costs (save housing) have risen. ---
**Author:** ![Necros](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/necros/32/11086_2.png) [@Necros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Necros)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/26 "2012-01-18T16:10:51Z")
Top 4% both locally and nationally. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/27 "2012-01-18T16:34:27Z")
Top 19% nationally, 24% locally. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/28 "2012-01-18T17:27:36Z")
> [@alice\_in\_wonderland](#): > > Top 10%, although I’ll note that in Michigan we rocket to the top 3%. > > I wonder how this would translate in Canada where I actually live and I believe the cost of living is higher? Canuck, bottom 32%. But I am a one person household! ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/29 "2012-01-18T17:30:47Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > Check out where you’d stand in Stamford, CT. It’s the only area I could find with even higher incomes than here. > ETA: besides SF, which you already mentioned. We drop to top 21%. Damn, I feel so inadequate! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/30 "2012-01-18T17:45:04Z")
Shouldn’t equity figure into this as well? Relying solely on yearly income, without considering investments in 401k’s, stocks/bonds, mortgages, and so on would seem to provide a misleading conclusion. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/31 "2012-01-18T17:46:08Z")
Top 14% nationally, 20% locally. ---
**Author:** ![geneb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a88e4f/32.png) [@geneb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/geneb)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/32 "2012-01-18T18:23:04Z")
Bottom 44% nationally, top 43% as locally as I can get it. Can’t really vote in the poll. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/33 "2012-01-18T18:32:35Z")
Top 39% in US/Top 33% in California/Bottom 38% in San Jose ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/34 "2012-01-18T18:48:29Z")
We were in the top 6% when we were working. Now in the top 36% as retirees. It’s comfortable. ---
**Author:** ![ecoaster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/85e7bf/32.png) [@ecoaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ecoaster)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/35 "2012-01-18T18:54:44Z")
Household income alone seems like a silly and inaccurate metric. My parents have no household income but they are probably in the top 5-10% based on equity. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/36 "2012-01-18T19:01:22Z")
We were in the top 20% in my area (NY, NJ) until I lost my job. Now we’re top 50. If only hubby could take his job to Michigan. We’d be RICH! ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/37 "2012-01-18T19:03:21Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/38 "2012-01-18T19:34:31Z")
Single person living alone - bottom 37% for my area. Still, no debt besides my mortgage, enough in the bank to pay off that. I’m doing better than a lot of people who make more. StG ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/39 "2012-01-18T19:41:10Z")
> [@ecoaster](#): > > Household income alone seems like a silly and inaccurate metric. > > My parents have no household income but they are probably in the top 5-10% based on equity. The converse can be true as well, believe me. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [January 18, 2012, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882/40 "2012-01-18T19:49:02Z")
Top 5% nationally. Top 12% locally (Central NJ). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-percent-are-you/609882.md?page=3)