What does it take to be considered upper class in 2026, running the gamut from Gen Z to boomer? It’s less about luxury and ...

Broadly speaking, people in the United States fall into lower, middle, or upper socioeconomic class categories. Then, the middle class can be subdivided into lower middle and upper middle classes.

If you asked most people what income makes you upper class, you'd probably hear numbers like $250,000 or $500,000. The data says otherwise. In 2026, upper class is primarily a percentile definition.