The median household income in the United States is $80,734, and the average household income is $113,530, based on the Census Bureau’s 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. This data is pulled directly from the Census Bureau API and refreshed each year when a new ACS 5-Year release is published. We have broken down United States household income distributions by state below.
Median vs. average household income
The median household income is different from the average because the median represents the middle point – half of households earn more and half earn less. The average household income is higher at $113,530 because it is pulled up by extremely high earners. For example, the top 1% of income earners make at least $430,000, which significantly skews the average upward. The median is generally considered a better measure of what a typical household earns.
For a comparison of individual income rather than household income, see the median personal income by state or average personal income by state.
National household income snapshot
| Metric | 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $80,734 |
| Average household income | $113,530 |
| Per capita income | $44,673 |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates, fetched 2026-08-25.
Median household income by state
!2024 USA Median Household Income by State
Here is the median and average household income of each state. The District of Columbia has the highest median household income of $109,870 and highest average household income of $162,297 of any state. The state with the lowest median income is Mississippi at $56,447, which also has the lowest average household income at $78,922.
| State | Median Income (Dollars) | Average Income (Dollars) |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $63,999 | $88,898 |
| Alaska | $92,788 | $118,985 |
| Arizona | $79,964 | $108,273 |
| Arkansas | $60,773 | $84,759 |
| California | $99,122 | $140,436 |
| Colorado | $95,470 | $128,255 |
| Connecticut | $95,781 | $138,744 |
| Delaware | $84,954 | $112,616 |
| District of Columbia | $109,870 | $162,297 |
| Florida | $74,568 | $105,967 |
| Georgia | $77,353 | $106,944 |
| Hawaii | $100,389 | $131,053 |
| Idaho | $77,800 | $102,747 |
| Illinois | $83,390 | $115,638 |
| Indiana | $71,957 | $95,247 |
| Iowa | $75,059 | $98,187 |
| Kansas | $74,275 | $100,417 |
| Kentucky | $63,726 | $87,807 |
| Louisiana | $60,756 | $87,038 |
| Maine | $74,733 | $100,102 |
| Maryland | $103,678 | $136,642 |
| Massachusetts | $103,960 | $144,950 |
| Michigan | $72,875 | $98,700 |
| Minnesota | $89,062 | $118,304 |
| Mississippi | $56,447 | $78,922 |
| Missouri | $70,702 | $96,247 |
| Montana | $72,509 | $98,908 |
| Nebraska | $76,475 | $102,399 |
| Nevada | $78,260 | $106,475 |
| New Hampshire | $99,031 | $128,322 |
| New Jersey | $103,556 | $143,363 |
| New Mexico | $64,059 | $88,155 |
| New York | $85,974 | $128,247 |
| North Carolina | $72,388 | $101,208 |
| North Dakota | $76,657 | $101,793 |
| Ohio | $71,389 | $96,990 |
| Oklahoma | $65,039 | $88,936 |
| Oregon | $83,011 | $111,542 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,971 | $107,538 |
| Rhode Island | $87,796 | $115,075 |
| South Carolina | $69,324 | $95,567 |
| South Dakota | $75,081 | $98,527 |
| Tennessee | $69,595 | $96,820 |
| Texas | $78,476 | $109,933 |
| Utah | $95,166 | $121,376 |
| Vermont | $81,203 | $107,852 |
| Virginia | $93,170 | $128,260 |
| Washington | $98,141 | $134,588 |
| West Virginia | $59,608 | $81,190 |
| Wisconsin | $77,485 | $101,466 |
| Wyoming | $76,176 | $100,641 |
Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year Estimates, fetched 2026-08-25.
How does household income impact home affordability?
Household income is one of the most important factors in determining how much home you can afford. With the median home price at $419,200 and the median household income at $80,734, the mortgage affordability gap continues to grow in many states. The general rule is that your housing costs should not exceed 30% of your gross income.
To find out where your income falls among all households in the US, try our income percentile calculator. You can also see how much income is needed to afford a home in each state, or use a mortgage affordability calculator to estimate how much house you can afford based on your household income.
See also: Historical Home Cost to Income Ratio | Minimum Wage by State
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau. “Income and Poverty in the United States.” census.gov/topics/income-poverty
- U.S. Department of Labor. “Wages and the Fair Labor Standards Act.” dol.gov/agencies/whd/flsa
- Social Security Administration. “Benefits and Eligibility Information.” ssa.gov/benefits
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