Median Household Income by State in 2026: All 50 States Ranked

Median household income by state varies substantially across the United States. According to the Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-Year Estimates, Massachusetts had the highest median household income among the 50 states, at $104,828, while Mississippi had the lowest, at $59,127.

The national median household income was $81,604. Washington, D.C., recorded $109,707, higher than every state’s point estimate, but it is reported separately because it is not a state.

This 2026 comparison uses 2024 ACS data, the latest completed annual release verified for this analysis as of October 5, 2026. All income figures are expressed in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.

The rankings compare Census point estimates, and small differences between states should not automatically be interpreted as statistically meaningful.

Median Household Income by State: 2024 ACS Ranking

This median household income by state ranking orders all 50 states from highest to lowest, using the Census Bureau’s 2024 ACS 1-Year Detailed Table B19013.

Each estimate represents the median household income in that state over the ACS past-12-month reference period, not the average salary of individual workers. The margin-of-error column shows the Census Bureau’s published uncertainty measure at the 90% confidence level.

National benchmark: The United States had a median household income of $81,604, with a 90% margin of error of ±$128.

Washington, D.C.: The District recorded $109,707, with a margin of error of ±$4,149. It is excluded from the numbered ranking because the comparison covers the 50 states.

Reading the ranking: These positions reflect the published point estimates. The margins of error show that nearby states may have statistically indistinguishable underlying income levels. Puerto Rico is outside the geographic scope of this 50-state comparison.

For additional comparisons covering housing conditions, costs, and economic characteristics, explore our U.S. States research guide.

Which States Have the Highest Median Household Income?

Five states recorded median household income estimates above $100,000 in the 2024 ACS data.

Massachusetts and New Jersey Lead the Ranking

Massachusetts ranks first at $104,828, followed closely by New Jersey at $104,294.

The difference between their point estimates is just $534. That is smaller than either state’s published margin of error, so the ranking should not be read as establishing that Massachusetts has a statistically higher underlying household income than New Jersey.

Maryland follows at $102,905. Hawaii ranks fourth at $100,745, while California completes the top five at $100,149.

These figures provide a useful comparison of household income levels, but they do not establish why one state ranks above another. Employment patterns, household composition, local labor markets, and other factors can influence income distributions.

Other States Near the Top

New Hampshire ranks sixth at $99,782, followed by Washington at $99,389.

Colorado, Utah, and Connecticut complete the top ten, with estimates ranging from $96,049 to $97,113.

There is an important distinction between a state having a high median household income and an individual worker receiving a high salary.

A household can include more than one income recipient. Its total income can also include sources beyond employment earnings. Consequently, these rankings should not be treated as state salary rankings.

Which States Have the Lowest Median Household Income?

Mississippi has the lowest median household income point estimate among the 50 states, at $59,127.

West Virginia follows at $60,798, and Louisiana is close behind at $60,986.

Arkansas ranks fourth from the bottom at $62,106, followed by Kentucky at $64,526.

The bottom-five ordering is based on published estimates. For example, the $188 difference between West Virginia and Louisiana is small relative to their margins of error and should not be presented as evidence of a meaningful underlying gap.

Does a Lower Median Income Mean a State Is Less Affordable?

Not necessarily.

Median household income measures the midpoint of the income distribution. It does not measure how much a household must spend on housing, transportation, food, insurance, utilities, or other necessities.

A state with lower incomes may also have lower prices for certain goods and services. Conversely, residents of a higher-income state may face substantially higher recurring expenses.

The relationship between income and household expenses matters more for practical affordability than income rankings alone.

This distinction is particularly relevant when comparing states for relocation, homeownership, or long-term living costs.

What Does Median Household Income Mean?

Median household income is the income level that divides households into two equal groups: half fall below the median and half fall above it.

The Census Bureau calculates household income using the reported income of the householder and other household members aged 15 or older, including people who are not related to the householder.

Income can come from employment, self-employment, retirement benefits, Social Security, and other sources covered by the Census definition.

A household may contain one person or several people. As a result, median household income should not be confused with the earnings of a typical full-time employee.

Median Income Versus Average Income

Median income and average income are different statistical measures.

The median identifies the midpoint of an income distribution. The arithmetic average, also called the mean, adds the incomes and divides the total by the number of observations.

Consider five hypothetical households earning $40,000, $50,000, $60,000, $70,000, and $280,000.

Their median income is $60,000, while their arithmetic average is $100,000.

The unusually high income of one household raises the average substantially, but it does not change the middle household’s position.

That is one reason the median is often useful for describing a typical point in the distribution, although it cannot describe the entire distribution by itself.

Household Income Versus Individual and Family Income

Individual income measures income received by a person, using the applicable Census definition.

Family income covers families, which are defined differently from households.

Household income includes both family and nonfamily households, including people living alone and qualifying groups of unrelated occupants.

These populations are not interchangeable. A state ranking based on median household income cannot be relabeled as a ranking of median salaries, individual earnings, or family incomes.

How Does Each State Compare With the National Median?

The national median household income was $81,604 in the 2024 ACS 1-Year Estimates.

Using the published state point estimates, 19 states were above this national benchmark and 31 were below it.

Massachusetts exceeded the national point estimate by $23,224. Mississippi’s estimate was $22,477 below it.

These are straightforward differences between published estimates, not cost-of-living adjustments or tests of statistical significance.

The national figure should also be interpreted correctly. It is the Census Bureau’s independently calculated median for U.S. households.

It is not the average of the 50 state medians.

A state with a relatively small population does not contribute the same number of households to the nationwide income distribution as a much larger state. Averaging state medians would therefore produce a different statistic.

The proper national comparison is the published U.S. B19013 estimate.

What State Median Income Can and Cannot Tell You

Median household income is valuable for comparing broad economic conditions, but it answers a narrower question than many readers expect.

It tells us where the midpoint of reported household income falls in each state’s distribution.

It does not directly measure:

• The purchasing power of that income after local prices.
• The number of earners in a typical household.
• Income inequality above or below the median.
• Differences between cities, suburbs, and rural communities.
• The proportion of income households spend on housing.
• The disposable income remaining after taxes and expenses.

A statewide median can also conceal considerable variation between metropolitan areas and other communities within the same state.

Why Housing Affordability Needs a Separate Comparison

Consider two states with similar median household incomes. Their residents could still face very different home prices, rents, mortgage payments, property taxes, and insurance expenses.

Income alone does not establish whether the typical household can afford to buy or rent a home.

Our Home Price-to-Income Ratio by State analysis examines a different question: how housing values compare with household income. That article uses its own Census measurement period and should not be treated as an interchangeable extension of this 2024 ACS 1-year ranking.

For a measure of housing expenses relative to income, our Housing Cost Burden by State in 2026 research examines the share of occupied housing units above specified housing-cost thresholds.

Together, these measures provide complementary perspectives without assuming that a high median income guarantees affordable housing.

Why a 2026 Article Uses 2024 Income Data

The publication year and the statistical reference year are not necessarily the same.

This article is prepared for publication in 2026, but its figures come from the Census Bureau’s completed 2024 ACS 1-Year Estimates, released September 11, 2025.

As of the October 5, 2026 prepublication review, the 2024 ACS 1-year tables remained the latest completed annual ACS release verified for this analysis. In its August 2026 update, the Census Bureau stated that the release date for the 2025 ACS 1-year estimates was still being determined.

Using one consistent annual dataset allows the 50 states and Washington, D.C., to be compared on the same statistical basis.

The figures should not be interpreted as measured 2026 incomes or as proof that household incomes have remained unchanged since 2024.

When a newer eligible ACS 1-year release becomes available, the comparison can be evaluated for an appropriately documented update.

Methodology and Margins of Error

The primary source is the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Detailed Table B19013, titled Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars).

This median household income by state analysis uses the 2024 ACS household universe and reports values in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars.

ACS household income refers to income received during the 12 months preceding each survey interview. Because interviews occur throughout the survey year, the measure should not be interpreted as income earned exclusively during the January-to-December 2024 calendar year.

How the States Were Ranked

All 50 states were sorted by their published median household income point estimates, from highest to lowest.

Washington, D.C., is displayed separately because it is not a state. Puerto Rico is excluded from the article’s ranking.

The national median is taken directly from the United States observation, not derived from state-level averages.

No additional adjustments were applied for regional price differences, household size, housing costs, or purchasing power.

The article uses the B19013 estimate and its accompanying margin of error. The original Census data export was checked against the state ranking to confirm that estimates and uncertainty values correspond to the correct geographies.

What the Margin of Error Means

The ACS is a sample survey. Its reported estimates therefore contain sampling uncertainty.

The margins of error shown in the ranking use the Census Bureau’s standard 90% confidence level. They can be used to construct approximate confidence intervals around individual estimates.

For example, Massachusetts has a median household income point estimate of $104,828 and a margin of error of ±$1,650. The corresponding interval extends from approximately $103,178 to $106,478.

These intervals help readers understand uncertainty, but a simple overlap or nonoverlap comparison should not replace an appropriate statistical significance test.

The figures also remain subject to possible nonsampling errors that are not fully described by their published sampling margins of error.

Accordingly, the rank numbers are useful for ordering point estimates, not for claiming that every adjacent state differs meaningfully from its neighbors.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which state has the highest median household income?

Massachusetts has the highest point estimate among the 50 states in the 2024 ACS 1-Year comparison, at $104,828. The difference from New Jersey, which ranks second, is small relative to the published margins of error.

Which state has the lowest median household income?

Mississippi has the lowest point estimate, at $59,127. West Virginia and Louisiana have the next-lowest state point estimates.

What is the median household income in the United States?

The 2024 ACS 1-Year Estimates report a U.S. median household income of $81,604, in 2024 inflation-adjusted dollars, with a 90% margin of error of ±$128.

Is median household income the same as average household income?

No. Median income marks the midpoint of the income distribution. Average income is the arithmetic mean. The two measures can differ substantially, particularly when some households receive unusually high incomes.

Does household income include more than one person’s earnings?

Yes. Household income can combine income reported by multiple qualifying household members, including unrelated people living together. It is not the same measure as an individual salary.

Does higher median household income mean better affordability?

Not necessarily. Income rankings do not account for state or local differences in housing prices, taxes, insurance, transportation, or other living expenses.

Why are the figures from 2024 rather than 2026?

The comparison uses the latest completed ACS 1-year dataset verified at the October 5, 2026 prepublication review. The article’s publication year does not change the statistical year in which the underlying incomes were measured.

Are small differences between neighboring state rankings meaningful?

Not automatically. The Census Bureau publishes margins of error because estimates have sampling uncertainty. A formal comparison requires appropriate statistical testing rather than relying exclusively on neighboring rank positions.

Conclusion

The 2024 Census ACS estimates place Massachusetts at the top of the 50-state median household income ranking at $104,828 and Mississippi at the bottom at $59,127. The national median is $81,604, while Washington, D.C., is reported separately at $109,707.

These figures provide a consistent starting point for examining differences in household income across the United States.

They are most useful when readers understand what the median measures, recognize uncertainty in closely ranked estimates, and avoid treating income alone as a complete measure of living standards or housing affordability.

Explore our Housing Economy research for broader context on employment, income, housing supply, interest rates, and the economic conditions influencing U.S. housing markets.

Sources

• U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, Detailed Table B19013, Median Household Income in the Past 12 Months (in 2024 Inflation-Adjusted Dollars).
• U.S. Census Bureau, 2024 American Community Survey Subject Definitions, including household income and median income definitions.
• U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey News and Updates, including the August 2026 release-status notice.