Maryland leads the nation in median household income while Mississippi remains at the bottom. Here's what the 2023 ACS data shows about the income geography of America.
Median household income — the income level at which half of households earn more and half earn less — is one of the most direct measures of economic well-being available from the Census Bureau. The 2023 ACS 5-year estimates show a national median of approximately $78,000, up from $67,500 in the 2019 estimates, though much of that increase reflects inflation rather than real purchasing power gains.
See the full state income rankings for all 50 states. The top tier is dominated by Mid-Atlantic states and their suburban rings around Washington, DC:
The lowest-income states are concentrated in the Deep South and Appalachia. Mississippi (~$50,000), West Virginia (~$55,000), Arkansas (~$57,000), and Louisiana (~$58,000) consistently anchor the bottom of the rankings. These states face compounding challenges: lower educational attainment, aging populations, and industry structures that skew toward lower-wage sectors.
State medians tell only part of the story. California's high median coexists with some of the nation's highest poverty rates in rural counties. New York's median is elevated by New York City, while many Upstate communities have incomes well below the national average. For within-state variation, explore county-level income rankings or compare metro areas using the metro income rankings.
A dollar in Mississippi buys considerably more than a dollar in Massachusetts. When adjusting for regional price parities, the income gap between high- and low-income states narrows substantially. States like Mississippi and Arkansas rank much better on real (inflation-adjusted, cost-of-living-adjusted) income than on nominal income. That context is essential when interpreting raw median income figures.
Income growth from 2019 to 2023 was strongest in Mountain West and Sun Belt states that saw large in-migration — states like Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Florida all saw median incomes rise substantially, partly driven by higher-income migrants from coastal states. Explore state income trends to see how individual states have changed across the 2019, 2021, and 2023 ACS vintages.
The American Community Survey 5-year estimates are the backbone of modern demographic research. Here's what the data covers, how it's collected, and why it matters for every community in America.
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From median home values doubling in a decade to record rent-cost-burden rates, the Census Bureau's ACS data paints a vivid picture of housing stress across America.