RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Lowest median household income, US states · 2020

US states with the lowest median household income in the 2020 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Mississippi leads at $46,511. 51 states qualify in total.

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros ZIP codes

YEAR1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPMEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOMEVS 2000

USUnited States331,449,281$66,278–

01Mississippi, MSMS2,946,779$46,511+48%

02West Virginia, WVWV1,778,373$48,037+62%

03Arkansas, ARAR3,049,391$49,475+54%

04Louisiana, LALA4,611,961$50,800+56%

05New Mexico, NMNM2,120,246$51,243+50%

06Alabama, ALAL5,086,768$52,035+52%

07Kentucky, KYKY4,534,824$52,238+55%

08Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,634$53,840+61%

09Tennessee, TNTN7,066,383$54,833+51%

10South Carolina, SCSC5,296,225$54,864+48%

11Montana, MTMT1,116,875$56,539+71%

12North Carolina, NCNC10,730,404$56,642+45%

13Missouri, MOMO6,191,814$57,290+51%

14Florida, FLFL22,416,077$57,703+49%

15Ohio, OHOH11,810,293$58,116+42%

16Indiana, ININ6,851,073$58,235+40%

17Idaho, IDID1,934,262$58,915+57%

18Michigan, MIMI10,077,761$59,234+33%

19Maine, MEME1,387,817$59,489+60%

20South Dakota, SDSD907,428$59,896+70%

21Kansas, KSKS2,947,197$61,091+50%

22Georgia, GAGA10,940,407$61,224+44%

23Arizona, AZAZ7,378,838$61,529+52%

24Iowa, IAIA3,210,507$61,836+57%

25Nevada, NVNV3,184,612$62,043+39%

26Nebraska, NENE1,978,707$63,015+61%

27Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,872$63,293+45%

28Vermont, VTVT647,106$63,477+55%

29Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,639$63,627+59%

30Texas, TXTX30,188,424$63,826+60%

31Wyoming, WYWY582,397$65,304+72%

32North Dakota, NDND784,841$65,315+89%

33Oregon, OROR4,254,293$65,667+60%

34Illinois, ILIL12,694,798$68,428+47%

35Delaware, DEDE1,021,191$69,110+46%

36Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,801$70,305+67%

37New York, NYNY19,852,366$71,117+64%

38Minnesota, MNMN5,739,445$73,382+56%

39Utah, UTUT3,392,331$74,197+62%

40Colorado, COCO5,862,189$75,231+59%

41Virginia, VAVA8,705,170$76,398+64%

42Washington, WAWA7,816,116$77,006+68%

43Alaska, AKAK735,706$77,790+51%

44New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,868$77,923+58%

45California, CACA39,287,377$78,672+66%

46Connecticut, CTCT3,624,508$79,855+48%

47Hawaii, HIHI1,445,235$83,173+67%

48Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,056$84,385+67%

49New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,809$85,245+55%

50Maryland, MDMD6,206,011$87,063+65%

51District of Columbia, DCDC681,294$90,842+126%

SHOWING 1–51 OF 51

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

Frequently asked

Which state has the lowest median household income?

Mississippi ranks #1 with $46,511 (2020 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by median household income?

Mississippi, West Virginia, Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 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, 2020 Decennial Census.