Census ACS 5-Year · 52 states
States With Highest Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Median Income
When you adjust median household income for local prices, the ranking of "richest" states changes dramatically. States with high nominal incomes but elevated cost of living (California, New York, Massachusetts) drop several places, while states with moderate nominal incomes but cheaper prices (many in the Plains and Mountain West) move up. Cost-of-living-adjusted income is the truest measure of household purchasing power and what a paycheck actually buys locally. This metric is especially valuable for retirees, remote workers, and anyone deciding where to relocate.
Key Findings
- 1Maryland leads with a COL-adjusted median income of $96,849, followed by District of Columbia ($96,712) and Massachusetts ($95,824).
- 2The national median across all states is $78,370 (New York at the midpoint).
- 3The top 10 states are: Maryland, District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Utah, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Virginia, Colorado, Hawaii.
Full Ranking: States With Highest Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Median Income
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | State | COL-Adjusted Income | Nominal Income | Price Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $80,714 | $74,815 | 92.7 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $80,419 | $75,670 | 94.1 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $64,714 | $57,917 | 89.5 |
| 4 | Washington | $88,729 | $94,952 | 107 |
| 5 | Virginia | $89,981 | $90,974 | 101.1 |
| 6 | Vermont | $79,650 | $78,024 | 98 |
| 7 | Utah | $92,804 | $91,750 | 98.9 |
| 8 | Texas | $78,605 | $76,292 | 97.1 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $73,035 | $67,097 | 91.9 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $81,752 | $72,421 | 88.6 |
| 11 | South Carolina | $71,273 | $66,818 | 93.7 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $84,447 | $86,372 | 102.3 |
| 13 | Puerto Rico | - | $25,096 | - |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | $77,974 | $76,081 | 97.6 |
| 15 | Oregon | $77,811 | $80,426 | 103.4 |
| 16 | Oklahoma | $72,405 | $63,603 | 87.8 |
| 17 | Ohio | $75,107 | $69,680 | 92.8 |
| 18 | North Dakota | $85,375 | $75,949 | 89 |
| 19 | North Carolina | $74,109 | $69,904 | 94.3 |
| 20 | New York | $78,370 | $84,578 | 107.9 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $67,372 | $62,125 | 92.2 |
| 22 | New Jersey | $92,873 | $101,050 | 108.8 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $91,804 | $95,628 | 104.2 |
| 24 | Nevada | $75,577 | $75,561 | 100 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $83,221 | $74,985 | 90.1 |
| 26 | Montana | $73,878 | $69,922 | 94.6 |
| 27 | Missouri | $75,889 | $68,920 | 90.8 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $63,155 | $54,915 | 87 |
| 29 | Minnesota | $88,780 | $87,556 | 98.6 |
| 30 | Michigan | $73,946 | $71,149 | 96.2 |
| 31 | Massachusetts | $95,824 | $101,341 | 105.8 |
| 32 | Maryland | $96,849 | $101,652 | 105 |
| 33 | Maine | $73,955 | $71,773 | 97.1 |
| 34 | Louisiana | $68,048 | $60,023 | 88.2 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $69,230 | $62,417 | 90.2 |
| 36 | Kansas | $80,649 | $72,639 | 90.1 |
| 37 | Iowa | $83,347 | $73,147 | 87.8 |
| 38 | Indiana | $75,058 | $70,051 | 93.3 |
| 39 | Illinois | $81,736 | $81,702 | 100 |
| 40 | Idaho | $78,158 | $74,636 | 95.5 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $89,419 | $98,317 | 110 |
| 42 | Georgia | $77,538 | $74,664 | 96.3 |
| 43 | Florida | $69,344 | $71,711 | 103.4 |
| 44 | District of Columbia | $96,712 | $106,287 | 109.9 |
| 45 | Delaware | $83,014 | $82,855 | 99.8 |
| 46 | Connecticut | $90,493 | $93,760 | 103.6 |
| 47 | Colorado | $89,731 | $92,470 | 103.1 |
| 48 | California | $87,007 | $96,334 | 110.7 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $67,604 | $58,773 | 86.9 |
| 50 | Arizona | $76,355 | $76,872 | 100.7 |
| 51 | Alaska | $87,277 | $89,336 | 102.4 |
| 52 | Alabama | $69,832 | $62,027 | 88.8 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Maryland has the highest COL-adjusted median income at $96,849, according to latest Census ACS data. District of Columbia and Massachusetts round out the top three.
Puerto Rico has the lowest COL-adjusted median income at -. Mississippi is second-lowest at $63,155.
The median across all 52 states is $78,370. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.