Average income by state: U.S. household rankings and insights

Kaboompics.com

Government agencies use income data to track economic development at the local, state, national, and international levels. Calculating average income by state is somewhat helpful, but averages are heavily skewed by outliers — numbers that are much higher or lower than other values.

National overview

Before we reveal the top states based on per capita income, here's a snapshot of the income landscape in the United States:

National median household income. In 2023, the United States had a real median household income of $80,610. Real income has been adjusted for inflation, making it a more accurate representation of a household's buying power. It takes time to gather data and compile annual reports, so the 2023 data is the most recent.
National per capita income. In the fourth quarter of 2024, the United States had a per capita income of $73,251. Per capita income, also known as average income, is the total amount of personal income divided by the total population. Calculating this metric makes it easier to compare the standard of living in the United States with that in other countries.
Trends over time. From 2022 to 2023, the real median household income increased by 4%. Although this appears to be a positive development, the 2023 median was lower than the real median income for 2019 ($81,210).
Major contributing factors: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains and the labor market, causing a sharp increase in prices. Due to stay-at-home orders, some companies were also forced to lay off employees, reducing the total amount of income earned by many American households. The 4% increase from 2022 to 2023 is likely due to lower levels of inflation, recovery of the labor market, and a general increase in economic stability.

Full state ranking: Average household income

To help you better understand your economic situation, we've provided the real median household income, per capita income, and cost-of-living index for each state. The cost-of-living index measures the cost of groceries, housing, utilities, healthcare, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses.

An index above 100 indicates that a state's cost of living exceeds the national average, while an index below 100 indicates that a state's cost of living is lower than the national average. All cost-of-living data comes from the Missouri Economic Information and Research Center. The per capita income data is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

#1: Washington, D.C.

Median household income: $111,000
Per capita income: $108,848
Cost-of-living index: 135.2

#2: Massachusetts

Median household income: $106,500
Per capita income: $94,849
Cost-of-living index: 145.1

#3: Connecticut

Median household income: $92,240
Per capita income: $94,192
Cost-of-living index: 113.5

#4: Wyoming

Median household income: $77,200
Per capita income: $87,284
Cost-of-living index: 97.0

#5: New York

Median household income: $81,600
Per capita income: $87,061
Cost-of-living index: 127.7

#6: California

Median household income: $89,870
Per capita income: $86,834
Cost-of-living index: 141.6

#7: New Jersey

Median household income: $91,590
Per capita income: $84,909
Cost-of-living index: 114.8

#8: Washington

Median household income: $93,440
Per capita income: $84,802
Cost-of-living index: 112.0

#9: New Hampshire

Median household income: $98,780
Per capita income: $83,674
Cost-of-living index: 110.1

#10: Colorado

Median household income: $96,640
Per capita income: $83,374
Cost-of-living index: 104.0

#11: Maryland

Median household income: $102,000
Per capita income: $79,325
Cost-of-living index: 114.9

#12: Virginia

Median household income: $96,490
Per capita income: $78,074
Cost-of-living index: 101.40

#13: Alaska

Median household income: $98,190
Per capita income: $76,299
Cost-of-living index: 127.3

#14: Minnesota

Median household income: $90,340
Per capita income: $75,971
Cost-of-living index: 93.7

#15: Illinois

Median household income: $87,820
Per capita income: $75,030
Cost-of-living index: 94.7

#16: South Dakota

Median household income: $81,740
Per capita income: $74,544
Cost-of-living index: 97.3

#17: Nebraska

Median household income: $89,190
Per capita income: $72,496
Cost-of-living index: 92.4

#18: Pennsylvania

Median household income: $79,820
Per capita income: $72,220
Cost-of-living index: 97.5

#19: Oregon

Median household income: $88,740
Per capita income: $71,524
Cost-of-living index: 112.7

#20: North Dakota

Median household income: $76,960
Per capita income: $71,453
Cost-of-living index: 90.8

#21: Florida

Median household income: $72,200
Per capita income: $71,040
Cost-of-living index: 102.0

#22: Vermont

Median household income: $85,190
Per capita income: $70,811
Cost-of-living index: 113.7

#23: Rhode Island

Median household income: $81,860
Per capita income: $70,693
Cost-of-living index: 109.3

#24: Hawaii

Median household income: $97,360
Per capita income: $70,454
Cost-of-living index: 182.3

#25: Delaware

Median household income: $86,340
Per capita income: $70,141
Cost-of-living index: 103.5

#26: Nevada

Median household income: $81,310
Per capita income: $69,175
Cost-of-living index: 99.5

#27: Maine

Median household income: $75,740
Per capita income: $68,918
Cost-of-living index: 113.4

#28: Kansas

Median household income: $84,830
Per capita income: $68,862
Cost-of-living index: 89.7

#29: Texas

Median household income: $79,060
Per capita income: $68,456
Cost-of-living index: 91.8

#30: Montana

Median household income: $79,220
Per capita income: $68,444
Cost-of-living index: 96.4

#31: Wisconsin

Median household income: $79,690
Per capita income: $68,347
Cost-of-living index: 99.5

#32: Utah

Median household income: $101,200
Per capita income: $66,966
Cost-of-living index: 100.5

#33: North Carolina

Median household income: $68,610
Per capita income: $65,747
Cost-of-living index: 97.8

#34: Tennessee

Median household income: $72,700
Per capita income: $65,596
Cost-of-living index: 90.0

#35: Missouri

Median household income: $78,290
Per capita income: $65,415
Cost-of-living index: 88.0

#36: Ohio

Median household income: $73,770
Per capita income: $65,011
Cost-of-living index: 95.1

#37: Arizona

Median household income: $82,660
Per capita income: $64,904
Cost-of-living index: 112.5

#38: Iowa

Median household income: $80,860
Per capita income: $64,243
Cost-of-living index: 89.6

#39: Indiana

Median household income: $76,910
Per capita income: $64,153
Cost-of-living index: 90.8

#40: Michigan

Median household income: $76,960
Per capita income: $63,816
Cost-of-living index: 89.8

#41: Oklahoma

Median household income: $67,330
Per capita income: $63,300
Cost-of-living index: 85.5

#42: Georgia

Median household income: $72,420
Per capita income: $63,154
Cost-of-living index: 91.7

#43: Idaho

Median household income: $73,910
Per capita income: $62,471
Cost-of-living index: 102.0

#44: Louisiana

Median household income: $57,650
Per capita income: $61,827
Cost-of-living index: 93.2

#45: South Carolina

Median household income: $69,100
Per capita income: $60,659
Cost-of-living index: 94.6

#46: Alabama

Median household income: $60,660
Per capita income: $57,551
Cost-of-living index: 87.6

#47: Arkansas

Median household income: $63,250
Per capita income: $60,549
Cost-of-living index: 90.5

#48: New Mexico

Median household income: $60,980
Per capita income: $58,286
Cost-of-living index: 94.2

#49: Kentucky

Median household income: $61,980
Per capita income: $58,200
Cost-of-living index: 91.7

#50: West Virginia

Median household income: $60,410
Per capita income: $55,532
Cost-of-living index: 88.6

#51: Mississippi

Median household income: $55,060
Per capita income: $52,757
Cost-of-living index: 87.3

Key demographic highlights

State-level data is valuable, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Gender, race, ethnicity, and other personal characteristics all affect an individual's earning potential. Check out these key demographic highlights to uncover current trends.

By gender

In the United States, women who work full-time earn $0.83 for every $1 earned by their male counterparts. Louisiana has the widest pay gap, with women earning just $0.71 for every $1 earned by full-time male workers. Rhode Island has the narrowest gap, as full-time female workers earn $0.89 for every $1 earned by their male counterparts.

Earnings in a state with a wide gap. Louisiana has a gender-based pay gap of 71%, meaning the average female worker would earn just $42,600 compared to a male worker earning $60,000 — 29% less for the same work.
Earnings in a state with a narrow gap. If a full-time male worker in Rhode Island earned $60,000 per year, his female counterpart would earn $53,400 — a difference of $6,600.

According to a 2021 HRC Foundation survey, LGBTQ+ workers earn about $0.90 for every $1 earned by the typical worker. The advocacy group’s report found that trans women, “who hold both a marginalized gender (e.g., woman) and gender identity (e.g., transgender), report the largest gap” among LGBTQ+ workers, earning $0.60 for every $1 earned by the typical worker.

By race and ethnicity

The real median household income varies widely based on race and ethnicity. Here's a breakdown of the 2023 data:

Asian households have a real median household income of $112,800, which is 39.9% over the national median.
White, non-Hispanic households have a real median household income of $89,050, while white households have a real median household income of $84,630.
Hispanic households have a real median household income of $65,540.
Black households have the lowest real median household income — $56,490.

At the state level, Mississippi has one of the biggest income gaps for Black households. In 2023, the real median income for Black households was just $37,897, compared to a real median of $68,018 for white (includes Hispanic/Latino) households. White households in Arkansas had a real median income of $63,298, while Black households had a real median of $38,415.

By age

Income also changes with age, especially as older adults retire and start to rely on Social Security. In 2023, the real median household income for adults aged 65 and older was $54,710 compared to a median of $92,470 for households with adults under 65.

That said, many younger people struggle to make ends meet. In fact, only 45% of young adults are completely financially independent from their parents.

Location also makes a big difference in earning potential. In urban areas, younger people typically have access to more education and internship opportunities, leading to stronger professional prospects. Older adults living in rural areas may have to retire earlier due to the physical demands of working in mining, agriculture, forestry, and other rural industries, leaving them with less income.

By education

Education level has a big impact on the real median income in the United States. In 2023, household members who were at least 25 years old and had a bachelor's degree or higher had a real median income of $126,800.

In contrast, household members who didn't finish high school had a real median income of $36,620 — a difference of 246.3%.

Regional patterns

The South has the lowest real median income ($73,280) in the United States, partly because it's home to several lower-wage industries, including tourism, retail, and agriculture. Households in the Midwest have a real median income of $81,020 per year. Like the South, the Midwest is home to low-wage industries, but it's also more rural than the Northeast and West.

In the Northeast, the real median household income is $86,250. This region is home to five of 10 modern boomtowns, making it more attractive to skilled workers; businesses also rely on the robust transportation network for shipping. The West has the highest real median income of any region in the United States, at $88,290 per year. Like the Northeast, this region has multiple shipping ports and reliable transportation, making it a hub of commerce.

All 50 states ranked by how much money people make

Wondering about income levels in your state? Check these rankings for average and median household income, plus key demographic and regional trends

Suggested Reading

Related Content