How Do You Stack Up to the Average Income in Your State?

Understanding what the average income is in your state can help you determine if you’re ahead of the curve or behind it when it comes to your own salary. Averages are typically measured in two ways: mean and median. Mean or “average” income takes the total amount of earnings across a sample and divides it by the number of participants. Median income, on the other hand, is the midway point of a sample, with half the people sampled earning above the median and half earning less.

The difference can be significant. High earners can skew the average income much higher than the median income. To use a simple example, if two earners make $20,000, one makes $40,000 and two make $120,000, the median income is $40,000. However, the average is $64,000. Thus, depending on how you measure “average” income, the figures can be highly variable. This differential can be seen in terms of the U.S. as a whole, where the average family household income is $84,938 but the median is just $60,293.

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Regional differences can also play a huge role in average income. States with higher costs typically also have higher average wages. However, some states have higher wages overall regardless of typical expenses. For example, California is regarded as a high-cost state, and average salaries unexpectedly top $101,000. However, Minnesota is not generally considered an expensive place to live, yet average salaries top $90,000 in the state, far above the national average income of $84,938.

To help get the black-and-white figures for worker income in every U.S. state, GOBankingRates conducted a study using five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2018 American Community Survey. Both mean and median state income figures were tallied. Results are presented in alphabetical order, from Alabama to Wyoming. These figures were sampled long before the COVID-19 pandemic swept the country and drove unemployment rates into the double digits. As such, these averages are likely to change when sampled in the future. 

Still, having data points like these can be an important step in understanding how your income measures up to the typical American’s.

Last updated: March 25, 2021

Alabama

• Average household income: $67,243
• Median household income: $48,486

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Alaska

• Average household income: $96,499
• Median household income: $76,715

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Arizona

• Average household income: $77,221
• Median household income: $56,213

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Arkansas

• Average household income: $64,272
• Median household income: $45,726

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California

• Average household income: $101,493
• Median household income: $71,228

Colorado

• Average household income: $92,520
• Median household income: $68,811

Connecticut

• Average household income: $109,693
• Median household income: $76,106

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Delaware

• Average household income: $86,962
• Median household income: $65,627

District of Columbia

• Average household income: $121,698
• Median household income: $82,604

Florida

• Average household income: $76,652
• Median household income: $53,267

Georgia

• Average household income: $78,574
• Median household income: $55,679

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Hawaii

• Average household income: $99,765
• Median household income: $78,084

Idaho

• Average household income: $70,620
• Median household income: $53,089

Illinois

• Average household income: $88,857
• Median household income: $63,575

Indiana

• Average household income: $71,912
• Median household income: $54,325

Iowa

• Average household income: $75,951
• Median household income: $58,580

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Kansas

• Average household income: $77,509
• Median household income: $57,422

Kentucky

• Average household income: $67,110
• Median household income: $48,392

Louisiana

• Average household income: $68,823
• Median household income: $47,942

Maine

• Average household income: $73,210
• Median household income: $55,425

Maryland

• Average household income: $107,482
• Median household income: $81,868

Massachusetts

• Average household income: $106,627
• Median household income: $77,378

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Michigan

• Average household income: $75,352
• Median household income: $54,938

Minnesota

• Average household income: $90,600
• Median household income: $68,411

Mississippi

• Average household income: $60,640
• Median household income: $43,567

Missouri

• Average household income: $73,145
• Median household income: $53,560

Montana

• Average household income: $70,959
• Median household income: $52,559

Nebraska

• Average household income: $77,278
• Median household income: $59,116

Nevada

• Average household income: $77,319
• Median household income: $57,598

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New Hampshire

• Average household income: $95,876
• Median household income: $74,057

New Jersey

• Average household income: $110,140
• Median household income: $79,363

New Mexico

• Average household income: $66,565
• Median household income: $48,059

New York

• Average household income: $97,424
• Median household income: $65,323

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North Carolina

• Average household income: $73,753
• Median household income: $52,413

North Dakota

• Average household income: $84,043
• Median household income: $63,473

Ohio

• Average household income: $74,109
• Median household income: $54,533

Oklahoma

• Average household income: $70,262
• Median household income: $51,424

Oregon

• Average household income: $80,040
• Median household income: $59,393

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Pennsylvania

• Average household income: $81,549
• Median household income: $59,445

Rhode Island

• Average household income: $85,527
• Median household income: $63,296

South Carolina

• Average household income: $70,093
• Median household income: $51,015

South Dakota

• Average household income: $73,768
• Median household income: $56,499

Tennessee

• Average household income: $71,458
• Median household income: $50,972

Texas

• Average household income: $84,221
• Median household income: $59,570

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Utah

• Average household income: $87,053
• Median household income: $68,374

Vermont

• Average household income: $78,472
• Median household income: $60,076

Virginia

• Average household income: $98,000
• Median household income: $71,564

Washington

• Average household income: $93,847
• Median household income: $70,116

West Virginia

• Average household income: $61,225
• Median household income: $44,921

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Wisconsin

• Average household income: $77,687
• Median household income: $59,209

Wyoming

• Average household income: $79,257
• Median household income: $62,268

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Methodology: In order to determine each state’s average income (i.e., mean income), GOBankingRates used the five-year estimates from the 2018 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. The same information was used to find each state’s median household income. All data was collected on and is up to date as of May 29, 2020.

About the Author

John Csiszar

After earning a B.A. in English with a Specialization in Business from UCLA, John Csiszar worked in the financial services industry as a registered representative for 18 years. Along the way, Csiszar earned both Certified Financial Planner and Registered Investment Adviser designations, in addition to being licensed as a life agent, while working for both a major Wall Street wirehouse and for his own investment advisory firm. During his time as an advisor, Csiszar managed over $100 million in client assets while providing individualized investment plans for hundreds of clients.

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