Income basics
Income statistics come in several flavors, and mixing them up is the most common reason people misread how they compare. Here is what each measure means.
Median household income
$80,734
Everyone in the home combined
Median full-time worker
$61,657
One person, full time, year round
Per capita income
$44,673
Total income divided by every resident
Household income adds up the income of everyone 15 and older living in the same home, from wages, self-employment, retirement, Social Security, investments, and other sources. Many households have two earners, so household income usually runs well above a single paycheck. The U.S. median is $80,734.
Earnings are what one person makes from work. The median American who works full time, year round earns $61,657. Counting part-time and seasonal workers, the median is $46,151. If you are comparing your own salary, this is the number to use.
Per capita income divides all income by every resident, including children and others with no income. That is why it is lower than either measure above: $44,673 nationally. It is useful for comparing places, not for judging a paycheck.
| State | Median household | Median full-time worker | Per capita |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,999 | $53,026 | $36,087 |
| Alaska | $92,788 | $68,208 | $46,573 |
| Arizona | $79,964 | $58,841 | $42,503 |
| Arkansas | $60,773 | $50,075 | $34,225 |
| California | $99,122 | $69,478 | $49,513 |
| Colorado | $95,470 | $70,047 | $52,636 |
| Connecticut | $95,781 | $74,775 | $55,915 |
| Delaware | $84,954 | $62,163 | $45,375 |
| Florida | $74,568 | $53,766 | $42,609 |
| Georgia | $77,353 | $57,564 | $40,924 |
| Hawaii | $100,389 | $61,851 | $46,005 |
| Idaho | $77,800 | $55,370 | $38,952 |
| Illinois | $83,390 | $65,289 | $46,406 |
| Indiana | $71,957 | $56,685 | $38,351 |
| Iowa | $75,059 | $58,344 | $40,877 |
| Kansas | $74,275 | $56,525 | $40,978 |
| Kentucky | $63,726 | $53,230 | $35,821 |
| Louisiana | $60,756 | $53,477 | $35,038 |
| Maine | $74,733 | $59,490 | $43,742 |
| Maryland | $103,678 | $75,407 | $52,979 |
| Massachusetts | $103,960 | $80,500 | $57,897 |
| Michigan | $72,875 | $60,750 | $40,735 |
| Minnesota | $89,062 | $67,459 | $48,237 |
| Mississippi | $56,447 | $48,373 | $31,549 |
| Missouri | $70,702 | $55,920 | $39,695 |
| Montana | $72,509 | $55,708 | $41,711 |
| Nebraska | $76,475 | $57,968 | $41,751 |
| Nevada | $78,260 | $55,464 | $41,354 |
| New Hampshire | $99,031 | $70,094 | $52,798 |
| New Jersey | $103,556 | $75,841 | $54,253 |
| New Mexico | $64,059 | $53,328 | $36,218 |
| New York | $85,974 | $70,770 | $50,712 |
| North Carolina | $72,388 | $56,091 | $41,385 |
| North Dakota | $76,657 | $59,549 | $43,389 |
| Ohio | $71,389 | $59,646 | $40,552 |
| Oklahoma | $65,039 | $51,405 | $35,624 |
| Oregon | $83,011 | $64,012 | $45,612 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,971 | $62,529 | $44,355 |
| Rhode Island | $87,796 | $66,923 | $47,150 |
| South Carolina | $69,324 | $53,794 | $39,236 |
| South Dakota | $75,081 | $55,006 | $40,550 |
| Tennessee | $69,595 | $54,207 | $39,437 |
| Texas | $78,476 | $58,497 | $40,752 |
| Utah | $95,166 | $62,276 | $40,873 |
| Vermont | $81,203 | $62,452 | $46,500 |
| Virginia | $93,170 | $67,876 | $50,666 |
| Washington | $98,141 | $75,004 | $53,744 |
| Washington, D.C. | $109,870 | $103,686 | $77,348 |
| West Virginia | $59,608 | $52,506 | $34,203 |
| Wisconsin | $77,485 | $60,563 | $43,373 |
| Wyoming | $76,176 | $59,373 | $42,668 |
Sources: Census tables B19013, S2001, and B19301.
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