RANKING · 2000 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Lowest median household income, US states · 2000

US states with the lowest median household income in the 2000 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. West Virginia leads at $29,696. 51 states qualify in total.

Flip the list · Highest median household income, US states →

All statesAll rankings

SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPMEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOMEVS 1990

USUnited States281,421,906$42,589–

01West Virginia, WVWV1,778,373$29,696+43%

02Mississippi, MSMS2,946,779$31,330+56%

03Arkansas, ARAR3,049,391$32,182+52%

04Louisiana, LALA4,611,961$32,566+48%

05Montana, MTMT1,116,875$33,024+44%

06Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,634$33,400+42%

07Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824$33,672+49%

08New Mexico, NMNM2,120,246$34,133+42%

09Alabama, ALAL5,086,768$34,135+45%

10North Dakota, NDND784,841$34,604+49%

11South Dakota, SDSD907,428$35,282+57%

12Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383$36,360+47%

13South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225$37,082+41%

14Maine, MEME1,387,817$37,240+34%

15Idaho, IDID1,934,262$37,572+49%

16Wyoming, WYWY582,397$37,892+40%

17Missouri, MOMO6,191,814$37,934+44%

18Florida, FLFL22,416,077$38,819+41%

19North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404$39,184+47%

20Nebraska, NENE1,978,707$39,250+51%

21Iowa, IAIA3,210,507$39,469+50%

22Texas, TXTX30,188,424$39,927+48%

23Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639$40,106+38%

24District of Columbia, DCDC681,294$40,127+31%

25Arizona, AZAZ7,378,838$40,558+47%

26Kansas, KSKS2,947,197$40,624+49%

27Vermont, VTVT647,106$40,856+37%

28Oregon, OROR4,254,293$40,916+50%

29Ohio, OHOH11,810,293$40,956+43%

30Indiana, ININ6,851,073$41,567+44%

31Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,801$42,090+31%

32Georgia, GAGA10,940,407$42,433+46%

33New York, NYNY19,852,366$43,393+32%

34Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872$43,791+49%

35Nevada, NVNV3,184,612$44,581+44%

36Michigan, MIMI10,077,761$44,667+44%

37Utah, UTUT3,392,331$45,726+55%

38Washington, WAWA7,816,116$45,776+47%

39Illinois, ILIL12,694,798$46,590+44%

40Virginia, VAVA8,705,170$46,677+40%

41Minnesota, MNMN5,739,445$47,111+52%

42Colorado, COCO5,862,189$47,203+57%

43Delaware, DEDE1,021,191$47,381+36%

44California, CACA39,287,377$47,493+33%

45New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868$49,467+36%

46Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235$49,820+28%

47Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056$50,502+37%

48Alaska, AKAK735,706$51,571+25%

49Maryland, MDMD6,206,011$52,868+34%

50Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508$53,935+29%

51New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,809$55,146+35%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

Download CSV (full list, 51 rows)

UPDATED 2026-07-15 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest median household income?

West Virginia ranks #1 with $29,696 (2000 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by median household income?

West Virginia, Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Montana.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2000 Decennial Census data.

How is median household income measured?

Median income of all households, as reported each year (nominal dollars, not inflation adjusted). Source: US Census Bureau, 2000 Decennial Census.