Median Household Income by State in 2026: Complete Guide
Median household income varies dramatically across the United States — from around $50,000 in Mississippi to over $90,000 in Maryland and New Jersey. But raw income numbers only tell part of the story. A $70,000 salary goes much further in Alabama than in Connecticut. This guide breaks down income data by state and explains how to interpret the numbers in context.
The National Picture
The US national median household income stands at approximately $75,149 according to the latest Census Bureau data. That means half of American households earn more, and half earn less. But within every state, there's enormous city-to-city variation. A wealthy suburb and a struggling rural town in the same state can have median incomes $50,000 apart.
Highest Income States
Maryland, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington, and California consistently rank as the highest-income states. These states benefit from concentrations of federal jobs, tech companies, financial services, and higher education. But high income often comes with high costs — many workers in these states are actually worse off financially than their peers in lower-income, lower-cost states.
Income vs. Cost of Living
The real question isn't 'how much do people earn?' but 'how far does that money go?' Our city profiles include both income data and housing costs, so you can calculate the income-to-housing ratio for any city. A city where the median income is $60,000 and the median home costs $120,000 (2:1 ratio) offers far better value than a city where income is $100,000 but homes cost $800,000 (1:8 ratio).
Dive Into the Data
Every state page on US City Data shows the median income alongside population, housing costs, and city-by-city breakdowns. Use our highest income cities ranking to see which specific cities lead nationally, or compare any two cities to see how incomes stack up alongside cost of living.