Top 50 U.S. States by Median Household Income, 2025
Updated: January 18, 2026
Median household income benchmarks the “middle” household in each state: half of households earn more and half earn less. Because it is less influenced by extreme high incomes than an average, it works well for cross-state comparisons and baseline economic context.
This ranking reflects income levels, not purchasing power. For affordability decisions, compare income alongside major recurring costs (housing, insurance, healthcare, childcare).
Key takeaways (2025)
Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Hawaii, and California exceed $100,000 in median household income in this dataset.
The difference between #1 and #50 is large enough to dominate household budgeting outcomes even before considering taxes and local prices.
The median across state medians is around $77.8k, which is a useful reference point for “typical” conditions when comparing states.
Top 10 snapshot
Median household income (USD).
Top 15 states by median household income
Top 15 states
Related reading
- Average salaries by U.S. region: where is it most cost-effective to live
- Role of small businesses in the U.S. economy: GDP and employment
- Top 50 U.S. states by average car insurance cost (full coverage), 2026 edition
- Pharmaceutical prices: why are U.S. drug costs so high
- The impact of administrative costs on U.S. healthcare spending
Full ranking (Top 50 states)
Use the search box to quickly locate a state. Values are expressed in USD as provided by the source dataset used for the 2025 edition.
| Rank | State | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $104,828 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $104,294 |
| 3 | Maryland | $102,905 |
| 4 | Hawaii | $100,745 |
| 5 | California | $100,149 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $99,782 |
| 7 | Washington | $99,389 |
| 8 | Colorado | $97,113 |
| 9 | Utah | $96,658 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $96,049 |
| 11 | Alaska | $95,665 |
| 12 | Virginia | $92,090 |
| 13 | Delaware | $87,534 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $87,117 |
| 15 | New York | $85,820 |
| 16 | Oregon | $85,220 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $83,504 |
| 18 | Illinois | $83,211 |
| 19 | Vermont | $82,730 |
| 20 | Arizona | $81,486 |
| 21 | Idaho | $81,166 |
| 22 | Nevada | $81,134 |
| 23 | Georgia | $79,991 |
| 24 | Texas | $79,721 |
| 25 | Florida | $77,735 |
| 26 | North Dakota | $77,871 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | $77,545 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $77,488 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $76,881 |
| 30 | Maine | $76,442 |
| 31 | Nebraska | $76,376 |
| 32 | Wyoming | $75,532 |
| 33 | Kansas | $75,514 |
| 34 | Iowa | $75,501 |
| 35 | Montana | $75,340 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $73,958 |
| 37 | Michigan | $72,389 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $72,350 |
| 39 | Ohio | $72,212 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $71,997 |
| 41 | Indiana | $71,959 |
| 42 | Missouri | $71,589 |
| 43 | New Mexico | $67,816 |
| 44 | Alabama | $66,659 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $66,148 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $64,526 |
| 47 | Arkansas | $62,106 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $60,986 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $60,798 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $59,127 |
Insights: what the 2025 income ranking is really showing
The top of the table is narrow and expensive. Only five states exceed $100,000 in median household income (Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, Hawaii, California). That concentration matters because it implies the U.S. income landscape is not a smooth gradient—there are distinct tiers. Moving from a mid-pack state into the top tier often comes with a different labor market mix (more high-paying professional and technical work), but also higher recurring costs.
The gap between #1 and #50 is roughly $45,701, which is large enough to reshape household choices even before you factor in tax structures and local price levels. At the same time, “higher income” does not automatically mean “better affordability,” because many high-income states also have higher housing costs, higher insurance premiums, or more expensive childcare markets.
Concrete distribution signals from the table
- 5 states are at or above $100,000 median household income.
- 12 states are at or above $90,000.
- The “middle state” (median of state medians) is around $77,803.
- Bottom-end medians cluster in the low-$60k range, with Mississippi the lowest in this dataset.
If you’re comparing where the “typical” household is financially strongest, this metric is a clean starting point. If you’re comparing where a household can build the most breathing room, combine income with living-cost anchors (housing, insurance, healthcare).
What it means for you
If you are considering a move
Use the ranking to set expectations for the earning environment—but don’t stop there. A high-income state can still be financially stressful if housing absorbs a larger share of household budgets. A practical way to use this page is to shortlist states by income tier, then validate affordability using cost indicators relevant to your household (rent or mortgage, car insurance, health spending exposure, childcare).
If you are budgeting or comparing job offers
Median household income is not a wage rate, but it’s a strong contextual benchmark. If an offer in a state with a much higher median is only slightly above your current income, you may be underestimating the cost pressure and the competitive landscape for housing and services.
If you are analyzing economic resilience
Higher median household income can correlate with a broader tax base, more resilient local demand, and a deeper service economy. Lower medians can reflect structural factors such as industry mix, educational attainment patterns, rurality, and slower wage growth. The ranking is best interpreted as a symptom of deeper economic structure—then explored with sector and productivity context.
Methodology
Metric definition
Median household income is the income level where 50% of households are above and 50% are below. This page uses the ACS subject table estimate for median household income (variable S1901_C01_012E).
Year and scope
This is the 2025 edition of the ranking, using the most recent state-level ACS 1-year values available for that release cycle. Scope is 50 U.S. states. The dataset also provides values for the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, which are excluded here to keep the ranking strictly “states only.”
Processing steps
- Retrieved state rows (NAME and S1901_C01_012E) from the official Census API endpoint.
- Excluded non-state rows (District of Columbia and Puerto Rico).
- Sorted states by median household income in descending order and assigned ranks 1–50.
- Displayed values in USD as published by the source.
Limitations (how to interpret carefully)
- Income is not adjusted for state cost of living. A high median can coexist with low affordability.
- Household income differs from individual wages and depends on household structure (dual earners vs single earner, retirees, etc.).
- As survey estimates, values have sampling uncertainty; close ranks can be statistically “near-ties.”
FAQ
Why use the median instead of the average?
The median is much less sensitive to extreme high incomes. A small number of very high earners can pull the average upward without changing what a “typical” household experiences. The median is the more stable benchmark for cross-state comparisons.
Does a higher median household income mean better living standards?
Not by itself. Higher income improves capacity, but living standards depend on what that income buys. Housing, taxes, insurance, and healthcare costs can materially change how far the median goes in day-to-day life.
Why are D.C. and Puerto Rico excluded from the ranking?
The goal of this page is a strict “50 states” ranking. D.C. is not a state, and Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. They appear in the underlying dataset, but are removed here for consistent state-only comparisons.
Can two states be effectively tied?
Yes. When medians are close, the practical difference can be small—and survey-based uncertainty can overlap. Treat close ranks as a band rather than a sharp hierarchy.
What’s the best next metric to pair with this ranking?
If you care about “how comfortable the median feels,” pair income with large recurring expenses: housing costs, insurance (auto and health exposure), and household essentials. Income is the numerator; costs determine the denominator.
Sources
Official references used for this ranking and for replicating the dataset pull.
-
U.S. Census Bureau — ACS 1-Year Subject Tables (API) · variable used: S1901_C01_012E
Census API query (states) -
U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey 1-Year Data (API datasets portal)
ACS 1-Year Data (Developers) -
U.S. Census Bureau — Subject Tables overview (ACS)
ACS Subject Tables -
U.S. Census Bureau — ACS data via API guidance
ACS Data via API
