Census ACS 5-Year · 51 states
States With Lowest Cost-of-Living-Adjusted Income
States with the lowest cost-of-living-adjusted median income combine modest nominal wages with above-average prices, leaving residents with the least real purchasing power. Mississippi and several other Southern states often rank lowest even after adjustment because nominal wages are low enough that local cheaper prices don't fully offset them. By contrast, some expensive states ironically end up looking better on COL-adjusted basis because their high wages outpace their high prices.
Key Findings
- 1Mississippi leads with a COL-adjusted median income of $63,155, followed by West Virginia ($64,714) and New Mexico ($67,372).
- 2Maryland ranks last at $96,849, while Mississippi leads at $63,155.
- 3The national median across all states is $78,605 (Texas at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: Mississippi, West Virginia, New Mexico, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, Florida, Alabama, South Carolina, Oklahoma.
Full Ranking: States With Lowest Cost-of-Living-Adjusted 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 | Pennsylvania | $77,974 | $76,081 | 97.6 |
| 14 | Oregon | $77,811 | $80,426 | 103.4 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $72,405 | $63,603 | 87.8 |
| 16 | Ohio | $75,107 | $69,680 | 92.8 |
| 17 | North Dakota | $85,375 | $75,949 | 89 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $74,109 | $69,904 | 94.3 |
| 19 | New York | $78,370 | $84,578 | 107.9 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $67,372 | $62,125 | 92.2 |
| 21 | New Jersey | $92,873 | $101,050 | 108.8 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $91,804 | $95,628 | 104.2 |
| 23 | Nevada | $75,577 | $75,561 | 100 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $83,221 | $74,985 | 90.1 |
| 25 | Montana | $73,878 | $69,922 | 94.6 |
| 26 | Missouri | $75,889 | $68,920 | 90.8 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $63,155 | $54,915 | 87 |
| 28 | Minnesota | $88,780 | $87,556 | 98.6 |
| 29 | Michigan | $73,946 | $71,149 | 96.2 |
| 30 | Massachusetts | $95,824 | $101,341 | 105.8 |
| 31 | Maryland | $96,849 | $101,652 | 105 |
| 32 | Maine | $73,955 | $71,773 | 97.1 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $68,048 | $60,023 | 88.2 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $69,230 | $62,417 | 90.2 |
| 35 | Kansas | $80,649 | $72,639 | 90.1 |
| 36 | Iowa | $83,347 | $73,147 | 87.8 |
| 37 | Indiana | $75,058 | $70,051 | 93.3 |
| 38 | Illinois | $81,736 | $81,702 | 100 |
| 39 | Idaho | $78,158 | $74,636 | 95.5 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $89,419 | $98,317 | 110 |
| 41 | Georgia | $77,538 | $74,664 | 96.3 |
| 42 | Florida | $69,344 | $71,711 | 103.4 |
| 43 | District of Columbia | $96,712 | $106,287 | 109.9 |
| 44 | Delaware | $83,014 | $82,855 | 99.8 |
| 45 | Connecticut | $90,493 | $93,760 | 103.6 |
| 46 | Colorado | $89,731 | $92,470 | 103.1 |
| 47 | California | $87,007 | $96,334 | 110.7 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $67,604 | $58,773 | 86.9 |
| 49 | Arizona | $76,355 | $76,872 | 100.7 |
| 50 | Alaska | $87,277 | $89,336 | 102.4 |
| 51 | 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
Mississippi has the highest COL-adjusted median income at $63,155, according to latest Census ACS data. West Virginia and New Mexico round out the top three.
Maryland has the lowest COL-adjusted median income at $96,849. District of Columbia is second-lowest at $96,712.
The median across all 51 states is $78,605. 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.