Where The $200,000+ Crowd Lives

Photo: Hisham Ibrahim | Photographer's Choice | Getty Images Taxes have been one of the most hotly debated topics in Washington and cuts for the wealthiest Americans are one of the most controversial subjects surrounding the issue. But how many rich people are there in the U.S., how much do they make and where do they live? And just what income do you qualify to be rich? According the data from the Census Bureau, there are currently 4.5 million households that earn over $200,000 per year, the highest wealth division compiled in Census reports, which is approximately 3.8% of all households in the country. The average income of those making over $250,000 is $425,226 and there were 2.37 million households in this range as of 2009, although this data is not broken down by state. With Census Bureau data from their National Data Book 2010 Statistical Abstract, we’ve outlined the states that have the highest proportion of households with annual incomes in excess of $200,000. Among the states with the lowest proportion of $200,000+ households are West Virginia (1.4%), South Dakota (1.81%) and Arkansas (1.86%). So, what are the states with the most high-income households? Click ahead to find out! By Paul ToscanoUpdated 14 Dec 2010

Photo: Anne Rippey | Photographer's Choice | Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 3.8% Total households: 2,062,681 Households earning $200K+: 77,772 Median income: $55,956

Photo: Jeremy Woodhouse | The Image Bank | Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 3.9% Total households: 8,244,022 Households earning $200K+: 313,681 Median income: $47,143

% of Households Earning $200K+: 4.0% Total households: 2,501,509 Households earning $200K+: 99,636 Median income: $58,964

Photo: Panoramic Images | Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 4.1% Total Households: 1,859,965 Households Earning $200K+: 76,216 Median Income: $59,964

% of Households Earning $200K+: 4.2% Total Households: 501,505 Households Earning $200K+: 20,899 Median Income: $66,654

Photo: Shutterstock % of Households Earning $200K+: 4.4% Total Households: 4,759,579 Households Earning $200K+: 208,385 Median Income: $53,413

% of Households Earning $200K+: 4.5% Total Households: 439,685 Households Earning $200K+: 19,876 Median Income: $61,055

Photo: Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 5.6% Total Households: 7,099,940 =Households Earning $200K+: 399,014 Median Income: $50,372

% of Households Earning $200K+: 5.7% Total Households: 2,932,234 Households Earning $200K+: 165,998 Median Income: $61,151

% of Households Earning $200K+: 6.2% Total Households: 12,200,672 Households Earning $200K+: 757,411 Median Income: $56,862

Photo: Gavin Heller | Photographer's Choice | Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 6.22% Total Households: 2,449,133 Households Earning $200K+: 152,348 Median Income: $59,981

Photo: Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 6.9% Total Households: 2,082,458 Households Earning $200K+: 142,694 Median Income: $65,183

Photo: Driendl Group | Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 7.5% Total Households: 3,149,910Households Earning $200K+: 235,278Median Income: $64,143

Photo: Porter Gifford | Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 8.0% Total Households: 1,320,714 Households Earning $200K+: 105,433 Median Income: $65,213

Photo: Getty Images % of Households Earning $200K+: 8.4% Total Households: 251,039 Households Earning $200K+: 21,194 Median Income: $53,685

© 2012 CNBC.com