How Do You Stack Up To the Average Income in Your State?
Understanding your state’s average income helps you compare your salary to the rest.
Averages are normally measured in two ways: mean and median. Mean or “average” income takes the total earnings across a sample and divides it by the number of participants. On the other hand, median income is the midway point of a sample, with half of those sampled earning above the median and half earning less.
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The difference can be significant. High earners skew the average income much higher than the median income. For 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. The figures can be highly variable depending on how you measure “average” income. This differential can be seen in the U.S. as a whole, where the average family household income is $97,962 but the median is just $69,717.
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 top $111,000. However, Minnesota is not generally considered an expensive place to live, yet average salaries top $96,000 in the state, above the national average income of $91,547.
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 2021 American Community Survey. Both mean and median state income figures were tallied. Results are presented in alphabetical order, from Alabama to Wyoming.
Alabama
Average household income: $76,150
Median household income: $59,609
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Alaska
Average household income: $103,258
Median household income: $80,287
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Arizona
Average household income: $89,693
Median household income: $65,913
Arkansas
Average household income: $73,346
Median household income: $52,123
California
Average household income: $119,149
Median household income: $84,097
Colorado
Average household income: $107,446
Median household income: $80,184
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Connecticut
Average household income: $120,670
Median household income: $83,572
Delaware
Average household income: $97,081
Median household income: $72,724
Florida
Average household income: $88,267
Median household income: $61,777
Georgia
Average household income: $91,082
Median household income: $65,030
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Hawaii
Average household income: $113,310
Median household income: $88,005
Idaho
Average household income: $83,777
Median household income: $63,377
Illinois
Average household income: $100,719
Median household income: $72,563
Indiana
Average household income: $81,703
Median household income: $61,944
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Iowa
Average household income: $84,948
Median household income: $65,429
Kansas
Average household income: $87,033
Median household income: $64,521
Kentucky
Average household income: $76,511
Median household income: $55,454
Louisiana
Average household income: $77,025
Median household income: $53,571
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Maine
Average household income: $83,914
Median household income: $63,182
Maryland
Average household income: $120,234
Median household income: $91,431
Massachusetts
Average household income: $123,174
Median household income: $89,026
Michigan
Average household income: $85,727
Median household income: $63,202
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Minnesota
Average household income: $102,691
Median household income: $77,706
Mississippi
Average household income: $68,636
Median household income: $49,111
Missouri
Average household income: $83,152
Median household income: $61,043
Montana
Average household income: $82,237
Median household income: $60,560
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Nebraska
Average household income: $87,815
Median household income: $66,644
Nevada
Average household income: $89,562
Median household income: $65,686
New Hampshire
Average household income: $108,061
Median household income: $83,449
New Jersey
Average household income: $124,626
Median household income: $89,703
New Mexico
Average household income: $74,363
Median household income: $54,020
New York
Average household income: $111,583
Median household income: $75,157
North Carolina
Average household income: $84,888
Median household income: $60,516
North Dakota
Average household income: $89,443
Median household income: $68,131
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Ohio
Average household income: $83,820
Median household income: $61,938
Oklahoma
Average household income: $78,040
Median household income: $56,956
Oregon
Average household income: $94,034
Median household income: $70,084
Pennsylvania
Average household income: $92,849
Median household income: $67,587
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Rhode Island
Average household income: $97,908
Median household income: $74,489
South Carolina
Average household income: $81,142
Median household income: $58,234
South Dakota
Average household income: $83,175
Median household income: $63,920
Tennessee
Average household income: $82,012
Median household income: $58,516
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Texas
Average household income: $94,115
Median household income: $67,321
Utah
Average household income: $101,412
Median household income: $79,133
Vermont
Average household income: $89,820
Median household income: $67,674
Virginia
Average household income: $111,013
Median household income: $80,615
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Washington
Average household income: $111,431
Median household income: $82,400
West Virginia
Average household income: $69,436
Median household income: $50,884
Wisconsin
Average household income: $87,733
Median household income: $67,080
Wyoming
Average household income: $87,786
Median household income: $68,002
Jake Arky, Jordan Rosenfeld and John Csiszar contributed to the reporting for this article.
Methodology: In order to determine each state’s average income (i.e., mean income), GOBankingRates used the five-year estimates from the 2021 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 were collected and are up to date as of Mar. 7, 2023.
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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Do You Stack Up To the Average Income in Your State?
