What does "six figures" mean?

Six figures refers to a number that is six digits long, and the term usually refers to an annual income amount. Six-figure dollar amounts range from $100,000 to $999,999.

Six-figure incomes are an indicator of affluence in the United States. As of 2008, an annual household income of at least $100,000 means the home's residents lie in the top quartile of American households according to income. A single earner making that sum enjoys a spot in the top 6 percent of all workers.

Inflation dictates the spending power of someone with a six-figure income. As prices and wages rise over time, the purchasing power of the six-figure income goes down and more earners enter that income bracket.