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Want To Be The One Percent? This Is How Much You Need To Make...

By Mason Johnson

While greedy "one percenters" have become a mythical creature to rally against, the answer to the question "How much do you need to make to be in the top 1%?" might surprise you -- it's not much.

Well, that is to say, I was surprised.

According to Business Insider, who used the 2012 American Community Survey to estimate what income a household would need to earn in order to be in the top 1%, you don't need to be a billionaire to make more than 99% of the population. You don't need to be a multi-millionaire or even a millionaire, actually.

In fact, for the state of Illinois, you need to make a measly $413,000 in order to qualify for the nickname of "Moneybags."

I say this realizing that I will personally never make that much in a year. Ever.

To our west, you'll find that California and North Dakota come in slightly higher, at 433,000 and 455,000 respectively.

The East Coast has all of us beat though, with New York coming in at $511,000 and Connecticut at $642,000.

You can get a better idea of what states are below and above Illinois here. It should be noted that Business Weekly calls these numbers a "rough estimate."

Still, this information just makes the Wall Street Journal's "Do You Make $400,000 a Year But Feel Broke?" seem even more out-of-touch than it did initially.

If the title didn't clue you in, it speaks to a group of people who make more than (if Business Insider's numbers are right) 99% of America in a tone that makes them seem downright poor.

I don't know about you, but I sure do feel bad for those poor schlubs making $400,000 a year.

Mason Johnson is a Web Content Producer for CBS Chicago. You can find him on Twitter.

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