Census ACS 2023 · 51 states
States With Highest Mean Household Income
Mean household income is the arithmetic average of all household incomes in a state. Unlike the median, the mean is pulled upward by very high earners — so states with large numbers of wealthy households tend to rank higher on mean income than on median income. Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey dominate the top of this ranking, driven by their concentrations of Wall Street executives, tech entrepreneurs, hedge fund managers, and medical specialists. The gap between mean and median income in a state is itself a useful indicator of income inequality: states where the mean far exceeds the median have more top-heavy income distributions. Comparing mean and median income together provides a more complete picture of economic well-being than either metric alone.
Key Findings
- 1District of Columbia leads with a mean household income of $157,604, followed by Massachusetts ($140,991) and New Jersey ($140,299).
- 2Mississippi ranks last at $76,995, while District of Columbia leads at $157,604.
- 3The national median across all states is $102,130 (Florida at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: District of Columbia, Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Washington, Hawaii, New York, Virginia.
Full Ranking: States With Highest Mean Household Income
Source: Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates
| # | State | Mean Income | Median Income | Per Capita |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wyoming | $97,459 | $74,815 | $41,006 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $99,059 | $75,670 | $42,019 |
| 3 | West Virginia | $78,799 | $57,917 | $32,949 |
| 4 | Washington | $129,559 | $94,952 | $51,493 |
| 5 | Virginia | $125,226 | $90,974 | $49,217 |
| 6 | Vermont | $103,603 | $78,024 | $44,365 |
| 7 | Utah | $117,307 | $91,750 | $39,240 |
| 8 | Texas | $106,819 | $76,292 | $39,446 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $93,479 | $67,097 | $37,866 |
| 10 | South Dakota | $95,050 | $72,421 | $38,880 |
| 11 | South Carolina | $92,833 | $66,818 | $37,993 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $112,642 | $86,372 | $45,919 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $104,925 | $76,081 | $43,104 |
| 14 | Oregon | $108,321 | $80,426 | $44,063 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $87,325 | $63,603 | $34,859 |
| 16 | Ohio | $94,766 | $69,680 | $39,455 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $100,487 | $75,949 | $42,474 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $97,403 | $69,904 | $39,616 |
| 19 | New York | $125,909 | $84,578 | $49,520 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $85,549 | $62,125 | $34,823 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $140,299 | $101,050 | $53,118 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $124,062 | $95,628 | $50,867 |
| 23 | Nevada | $102,911 | $75,561 | $39,963 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $100,194 | $74,985 | $40,637 |
| 25 | Montana | $94,544 | $69,922 | $39,842 |
| 26 | Missouri | $93,797 | $68,920 | $38,497 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $76,995 | $54,915 | $30,529 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $115,861 | $87,556 | $46,957 |
| 29 | Michigan | $96,299 | $71,149 | $39,538 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $140,991 | $101,341 | $56,284 |
| 31 | Maryland | $133,800 | $101,652 | $51,689 |
| 32 | Maine | $96,507 | $71,773 | $42,035 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $85,745 | $60,023 | $34,211 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $86,119 | $62,417 | $34,960 |
| 35 | Kansas | $97,625 | $72,639 | $39,638 |
| 36 | Iowa | $95,968 | $73,147 | $39,728 |
| 37 | Indiana | $92,643 | $70,051 | $37,178 |
| 38 | Illinois | $112,993 | $81,702 | $45,104 |
| 39 | Idaho | $98,748 | $74,636 | $37,169 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $128,123 | $98,317 | $44,823 |
| 41 | Georgia | $103,618 | $74,664 | $39,525 |
| 42 | Florida | $102,130 | $71,711 | $41,055 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $157,604 | $106,287 | $75,253 |
| 44 | Delaware | $109,519 | $82,855 | $44,219 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $135,332 | $93,760 | $54,409 |
| 46 | Colorado | $124,231 | $92,470 | $50,489 |
| 47 | California | $136,730 | $96,334 | $47,977 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $82,554 | $58,773 | $33,147 |
| 49 | Arizona | $104,138 | $76,872 | $40,736 |
| 50 | Alaska | $114,947 | $89,336 | $44,928 |
| 51 | Alabama | $86,225 | $62,027 | $34,835 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 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
District of Columbia has the highest mean household income at $157,604, according to Census ACS 2023 data. Massachusetts and New Jersey round out the top three.
Mississippi has the lowest mean household income at $76,995. West Virginia is second-lowest at $78,799.
The median across all 51 states is $102,130. 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) 2023 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 data (currently 2023 5-Year estimates). The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually, typically in September. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 2023 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.