USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

States ranked by income adjusted for prices

Summary

  • District of Columbia ranks highest at $81,872; Mississippi is lowest at $48,465.
  • 20 of 51 states (including DC) are above the US figure ($59,195). The middle value is $58,273 (Wisconsin).
  • Next highest: Wyoming ($75,501), Connecticut ($74,254) and Massachusetts ($71,629).

official Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2024, constant 2017 dollars.

Highest real income per person

District of Columbia
$81,872
Wyoming
$75,501
Connecticut
$74,254
Massachusetts
$71,629
South Dakota
$69,153
Nebraska
$65,297
North Dakota
$65,271
Colorado
$65,223
New Hampshire
$64,632
Washington
$64,421

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2024, constant 2017 dollars.

Show the numbers
Real income per person (2017 $)
District of Columbia$81,872
Wyoming$75,501
Connecticut$74,254
Massachusetts$71,629
South Dakota$69,153
Nebraska$65,297
North Dakota$65,271
Colorado$65,223
New Hampshire$64,632
Washington$64,421

Lowest real income per person

Mississippi
$48,465
West Virginia
$50,051
New Mexico
$51,121
Alabama
$52,216
Hawaii
$52,272
Kentucky
$52,290
South Carolina
$52,463
Idaho
$52,816
Arizona
$52,890
Georgia
$52,952

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2024, constant 2017 dollars.

Show the numbers
Real income per person (2017 $)
Mississippi$48,465
West Virginia$50,051
New Mexico$51,121
Alabama$52,216
Hawaii$52,272
Kentucky$52,290
South Carolina$52,463
Idaho$52,816
Arizona$52,890
Georgia$52,952

What this ranking shows, and what it does not

BEA divides each state's personal income by its price level, so the figures compare what incomes buy. The chart baseline is the US figure, $59,195.

Personal income includes wages, benefits, investment income and government payments, per resident (not per household), before taxes.

Methodology · Data sources

Full list

All 51 states (including DC). Select a column heading to sort.

Rank State Real income per person (2017 $) Price level (US = 100)
1 District of Columbia $81,872 109.9
2 Wyoming $75,501 92.7
3 Connecticut $74,254 103.6
4 Massachusetts $71,629 105.8
5 South Dakota $69,153 88.6
6 Nebraska $65,297 90.1
7 North Dakota $65,271 89.0
8 Colorado $65,223 103.1
9 New Hampshire $64,632 104.2
10 Washington $64,421 107.0
11 New York $64,153 107.9
12 New Jersey $63,142 108.8
13 California $63,028 110.7
14 Minnesota $62,039 98.6
15 Virginia $61,914 101.1
16 Maryland $61,111 105.0
17 Illinois $60,333 100.0
18 Alaska $60,272 102.4
19 Iowa $60,144 87.8
20 Montana $59,203 94.6
21 Kansas $59,172 90.1
22 Vermont $58,893 98.0
23 Oklahoma $58,692 87.8
24 Pennsylvania $58,620 97.6
25 Tennessee $58,582 91.9
26 Wisconsin $58,273 94.1
27 Texas $58,219 97.1
28 Missouri $57,850 90.8
29 Maine $57,480 97.1
30 Florida $57,131 103.4
31 Louisiana $56,789 88.2
32 Nevada $56,503 100.0
33 North Carolina $56,310 94.3
34 Ohio $56,232 92.8
35 Rhode Island $55,878 102.3
36 Indiana $55,562 93.3
37 Oregon $55,451 103.4
38 Arkansas $55,219 86.9
39 Delaware $55,185 99.8
40 Utah $55,116 98.9
41 Michigan $53,569 96.2
42 Georgia $52,952 96.3
43 Arizona $52,890 100.7
44 Idaho $52,816 95.5
45 South Carolina $52,463 93.7
46 Kentucky $52,290 90.2
47 Hawaii $52,272 110.0
48 Alabama $52,216 88.8
49 New Mexico $51,121 92.2
50 West Virginia $50,051 89.5
51 Mississippi $48,465 87.0

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