Household Income in States and Metropolitan Areas 2024-2026
US median household income 2024 Census CPS ASEC: $83,730. For state and metro comparisons, the 2024 ACS 1-year national estimate is $81,604. Use CPS ASEC for the national headline and ACS for geography-specific research.
By Salario.io Team · Updated April 25, 2026 · US Census Bureau ACS 2024 + BLS CES + CPI
Top 20 US States by Median Household Income (2024)
| Rank | State | Household income 2024 | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| DC | District of Columbia | $113,800 | +41.2% |
| 1 | Maryland | $107,500 | +33.4% |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $104,200 | +29.3% |
| 3 | New Jersey | $103,500 | +28.4% |
| 4 | Hawaii | $98,800 | +22.6% |
| 5 | New Hampshire | $97,800 | +21.3% |
| 6 | California | $96,500 | +19.7% |
| 7 | Washington | $95,700 | +18.7% |
| , | US National Median (ACS) | $81,604 | baseline |
| 42 | Tennessee | $64,200 | -20.4% |
| 46 | Oklahoma | $62,400 | -22.6% |
| 48 | Louisiana | $58,800 | -27.1% |
| 49 | West Virginia | $55,200 | -31.5% |
| 50 | Mississippi | $52,800 | -34.5% |
Spread: 2.04x ratio between top (Maryland) and bottom (Mississippi) states. Adjusted for cost-of-living, real income gap shrinks to 1.4x.
Top 10 US Metropolitan Areas by Household Income (2024)
| Rank | Metropolitan Statistical Area | Median household | Industry concentration |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA | $158,900 | Silicon Valley tech |
| 2 | San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley CA | $138,700 | Tech, finance |
| 3 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD | $128,400 | Federal govt, defense |
| 4 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk CT | $127,500 | NYC commuter, hedge funds |
| 5 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH | $112,800 | Biotech, finance, edu |
| 6 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WA | $112,500 | Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing |
| 7 | Trenton NJ | $108,800 | NJ state govt, pharma |
| 8 | Anchorage AK | $107,200 | Oil, defense, govt |
| 9 | Boulder CO | $107,000 | Tech, research, CU |
| 10 | Honolulu HI | $106,500 | Tourism, military |
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in the United States 2024-2026?▼
The latest official Census CPS ASEC national median household income is $83,730 for 2024, released September 9, 2025. The 2024 ACS 1-year estimate is $81,604, which is better for state and metro comparisons. No official 2025 or 2026 household-income release exists yet; those years require projections until the next annual Census release.
Which US states have the highest household income?▼
Top 10 US states by median household income 2024 Census ACS: (1) Maryland $107,500. (2) Massachusetts $104,200. (3) New Jersey $103,500. (4) Hawaii $98,800. (5) New Hampshire $97,800. (6) California $96,500. (7) Washington $95,700. (8) Connecticut $94,200. (9) Colorado $94,000. (10) Virginia $93,500. Bottom 10 states: Mississippi $52,800. West Virginia $55,200. Arkansas $58,400. Louisiana $58,800. New Mexico $59,200. Alabama $60,800. Kentucky $61,200. Oklahoma $62,400. South Carolina $63,800. Tennessee $64,200. Spread $107,500 vs $52,800 = 2.04x ratio between top + bottom states. DC (federal district): $113,800: highest in US. Adjusted for cost-of-living: top states drop, bottom states rise: real purchasing power gap is ~1.4x not 2x.
Which metropolitan areas have the highest household income?▼
Top 10 US metropolitan areas by median household income 2024 ACS: (1) San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara CA: $158,900. (2) San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley CA: $138,700. (3) Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV: $128,400. (4) Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk CT: $127,500. (5) Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH: $112,800. (6) Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue WA: $112,500. (7) Trenton NJ: $108,800. (8) Anchorage AK: $107,200. (9) Boulder CO: $107,000. (10) Honolulu HI: $106,500. NYC Metro (NY-NJ-PA): $96,500. LA Metro: $89,400. Chicago Metro: $84,500. Bottom metros (rural concentrated): Brownsville TX, McAllen TX, El Paso TX: all under $52,000. Tech concentration drives top metros: SF Bay Area + Seattle + Boston dominate.
What is the difference between household income vs personal income?▼
Household income includes all cash income for people living in the household, while personal income or earnings usually describes one worker. US 2024 CPS ASEC median household income was $83,730, but that can combine two or more earners. Comparing a single salary to household income is often misleading; compare salary to individual worker earnings and use household income for budgets, housing, taxes, and family finances.
How does cost-of-living adjust real household income?▼
COL-adjusted household income reveals real purchasing power. Examples 2024-2026: California household $96,500 ÷ COL index 142 = $67,958 real (effective Mississippi $69k equivalent). Mississippi household $52,800 ÷ COL index 88 = $60,000 real. So Mississippi household has ~88% the real purchasing power of California household despite 45% lower nominal income. Top REAL income states 2026: (1) Maryland $107,500 ÷ 124 = $86,694 real. (2) New Hampshire $97,800 ÷ 113 = $86,549. (3) Virginia $93,500 ÷ 109 = $85,780. (4) Minnesota $86,200 ÷ 102 = $84,510. (5) Washington $95,700 ÷ 117 = $81,795. California drops to #14 in real terms. New York drops to #18. Rural Midwest states (Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas) rise sharply when adjusted.
How has household income changed 2024 to 2026?▼
The official 2024 CPS ASEC estimate was $83,730 and was not statistically different from the 2023 estimate of $82,690 or the 2019 pre-pandemic benchmark of $83,260 when measured in 2024 dollars. Any 2025-2026 number is a projection until Census releases the next CPS ASEC income report.
Where do I find official Census + BLS household income data?▼
Official sources for US household + personal income data: (1) US Census Bureau ACS (American Community Survey): most authoritative. census.gov/acs. 1-year estimates (geographies 65k+) released Sept; 5-year estimates (all geographies) Dec. (2) BLS CES (Current Employment Statistics): bls.gov/ces. Wage data by occupation + state + MSA, monthly updates. (3) BLS OEWS (Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics): bls.gov/oes. Detailed wage data by occupation × MSA, annual May release. (4) Census Bureau CPS (Current Population Survey): annual income + demographic data. (5) IRS SOI (Statistics of Income): tax return data, lagging 2-3 years. (6) Federal Reserve SCF (Survey of Consumer Finances): detailed financial data, every 3 years. For research: free access via Census API (api.census.gov) + BLS API (bls.gov/data): both free, no rate limit for academic use.
How does household income relate to home affordability?▼
A common housing rule keeps principal, interest, taxes, and insurance near 28% of gross household income. At the $83,730 national CPS ASEC median, that implies roughly $1,953/month before local taxes, insurance, HOA dues, and debt-to-income constraints. The exact affordable home price changes sharply by mortgage rate, down payment, property tax, insurance, and local cost of living.