Ranked: Richest to Poorest US States by Household Income in 2026

• By Fineducke Team

• 2024

• Last updated Jan 4, 2026

The richest state in the United States based on the most recent data is Massachusetts, with a median household income of $104,828. On the opposite end, Mississippi ranks as the poorest state, reporting a median household income of $59,127. 

From this data, it is apparent that the typical household in the richest state earns nearly $46,000 more per year compared to the poorest household.

The rankings on this page are based on median household income, not total wealth or net worth of the individuals in USA states. 

Median income is one of the most practical and effective ways of comparing earning power among the people as it shows what a typical household earns. 

If you would like to see the formula for calculating median household income, check here. 

The data used in this ranking comes from the US Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey. This is the latest nationwide income dataset available. 

Looking across the list, high-ranking states tend to cluster around strong job markets, higher education levels, and industries like technology, finance, and government employment. 

On the other hand, lower-ranking states face lower average wages, fewer high-paying industries, and slower economic growth despite the fact that some of these states are seeing faster year-over-year income increases.

Related articles: 

• Richest To the Poorest Countries in the World
• List of The Richest People in the World

Below is the full ranking of all 50 US states, from richest to poorest based on median household income.

Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-Year Estimates (Data Management System Number: P-7533841)

How to Calculate Median Household Income 

1. List all household incomes in a dataset:
   \( I = \{i_1, i_2, i_3, \dots, i_n\} \)
2. Sort the incomes in ascending order.

If the number of households is odd:

\( \text{Median Income} = I_{\frac{n+1}{2}} \)

If the number of households is even:

\( \text{Median Income} = \frac{I_{\frac{n}{2}} + I_{\frac{n}{2}+1}}{2} \)

Where:

• \( I_k \) is the income at position \( k \) in the ordered list
• \( n \) is the total number of households

Example

Sorted household incomes:

\( \{30,000, 45,000, 60,000, 80,000, 120,000\} \)

Median: \( \text{Median} = I_3 = 60,000 \)