On this page is a 2019 income percentile by state calculator for the United States, for either individual income or household income. Enter pre-tax income earned between January and December 2018 and select a state and income type to compare an income percentile.
You can also choose multiple comparison states for your state income percentile estimate. Find the research backing this tool in the average income by state post.
Also: See the income percentile by city calculator for metro area. We also have an individual income calculator and household income calculator.
Household Income by State: Extremes of the Average, Median and Top 1%
Countrywide in 2019, median household income, average household income, and top 1% household income were $63,030.00, $89,930.70, and $475,116.00.
That block of statistics does hide a bunch of information. There is a large disparity in household incomes between the various states (as you can best see using the tool). Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey were – depending on how you slice it – the highest earning state or territory.
- Highest Average Household Income: Washington, D.C. – $127,263.58
- Highest Average Household Income (Not D.C.): Massachusetts – $117,996.28
- Highest Median Household Income: Massachusetts – $86,651.00
- Highest Top 1% Household Income: New Jersey – $802,295.00
- Lowest Average Household Income: Mississippi – $60,922.93
- Lowest Median Household Income: Mississippi – $43,000.00
- Lowest Top 1% Household Income: Maine – $289,702.00
Individual Income by State: Standouts of the Average, Median and Top 1%
For individual earners in the US in 2019, median income, average income, and top 1% income were $40,100, $58,379.45, and $328,551.00.
Of course, once again, that information obscures some of the disparities in income; states near the coast generally paid higher than the nationwide average. In fact, Connecticut's top 1% almost made double(!) the countrywide top 1%. Even more than with household incomes, I suggest using the comparison in the tool to see the disparities.
Here are the extreme individual income earning states and territory (ha) in 2019:
- Highest Average Income: Washington, D.C – $90,013.72
- Highest Median Income: Washington, D.C – $65,011.00
- Highest Top 1% Income: Connecticut – $617,000.00
- Highest Average Income (Not D.C.): Massachusetts – $72,352.63
- Highest Median Income (Not D.C.): Massachusetts – $50,100.00
- Lowest Average Income: Mississippi – $44,913.28
- Lowest Median Income: New Mexico – $33,085.00
- Lowest Top 1% Income: Mississippi – $214,405.00
Source on the 2019 Income Percentile by State Calculator
Sarah Flood, Miriam King, Renae Rodgers, Steven Ruggles and J. Robert Warren. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, Current Population Survey: Version 6.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2019. https://doi.org/10.18128/D030.V6.0
There isn't any special screen for households other than adding a state filter (which also gives me DC). See more info in the average household income research post.
Individual income is a bit more complicated because I use a workforce screen. I include people who were in the workforce over the year, folks who worked 1 or more hour per week, and people who maybe or definitely want a job. More details are in the average individual income post.
For data quality plus the estimated numbers of workers and households in each state, see the companion average income by state post.
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