September 22, 2025
Wealth throughout the USA is in flux, with earnings gaps rising sharper whilst median family incomes creep upward.
Wealth throughout the USA is in flux, with earnings gaps rising sharper whilst median family incomes creep upward. Based on 2024 information from the Census Bureau, the U.S. median family earnings was $83,730, solely modestly up from about $82,690 in 2023—exhibiting how positive aspects are rising, however slowly.
But that nationwide common masks vast disparities: States like Massachusetts, New Jersey, Maryland, and California present a lot increased thresholds for what counts as center class, whereas in lower-income states, the identical greenback quantity buys way more by way of value of dwelling.
Broader financial occasions are shaping these earnings variations. The divergence underscores that whereas earnings is rising broadly, inflation, increased prices, and differing business efficiency erode what folks should purchase and the relative energy of state economies. Inflation, whereas considerably tamed from its peak, stays above consolation ranges in producer costs and key shopper sectors.
A family that seems well-off in a single state might battle in one other on account of dwelling prices. As well as, wealth gaps are more and more pushed by asset possession—residence fairness has ballooned in lots of states, boosting internet value for householders whereas renters fall additional behind. In lower-income states, the shortage of sectoral diversification performs a job—over-reliance on extractive industries, agriculture, or low-wage service sectors—limits resilience to financial shocks.
In states like Mississippi, West Virginia, and Louisiana, incomes are between 20 and 27% beneath the U.S. median, and poverty charges usually hover effectively above the nationwide common. For example, Mississippi has the bottom median family earnings—simply over $59,000 in 2024—and round 18% of its inhabitants lives in poverty, practically double the nationwide price. These gaps will not be simply numbers; they translate into restricted entry to well being care, weaker infrastructure, decrease training attainment, and fewer well-paying jobs, all of which reinforce a cycle of hardship.
To see how these numbers differ nationwide, Stacker explored the economies of all 50 states, with statistics from the Census Bureau’s 2024 1-12 months American Neighborhood Survey used to rank the poorest states by median family earnings. The evaluation additionally consists of statistics on median earnings, employment price, medical insurance protection, and poverty stage.
Editor’s observe: The info level on median earnings is damaged down to focus on the discrepancies between men and women. Nonetheless, the Census collects information with a binary understanding of intercourse and gender, not contemplating different gender identities and probably conflating intercourse and gender.
The Poorest States:
#25. Florida
– Median family earnings: $77,735 (4.7% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 473,368 (5.2%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 1,089,305 (11.9%)
– Median earnings for employees: $42,321 (males: $60,201; girls: $50,563)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 8.4%
– Households with medical insurance: 89.1%
#24. Pennsylvania
– Median family earnings: $77,545 (5.0% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 270,326 (5.0%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 639,349 (11.9%)
– Median earnings for employees: $46,804 (males: $67,699; girls: $55,760)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 7.8%
– Households with medical insurance: 94.2%
#23. Wisconsin
– Median family earnings: $77,488 (5.0% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 110,181 (4.3%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 239,382 (9.4%)
– Median earnings for employees: $47,337 (males: $65,829; girls: $53,311)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 6.4%
– Households with medical insurance: 94.7%
#22. South Dakota
– Median family earnings: $76,881 (5.8% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 17,935 (4.7%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 33,376 (8.7%)
– Median earnings for employees: $45,579 (males: $61,219; girls: $50,661)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 6.6%
– Households with medical insurance: 91.9%
#21. Maine
– Median family earnings: $76,442 (6.3% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 24,519 (4.0%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 63,672 (10.3%)
– Median earnings for employees: $46,556 (males: $65,053; girls: $56,341)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 6.2%
– Households with medical insurance: 94.5%
#20. Nebraska
– Median family earnings: $76,376 (6.4% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 35,439 (4.3%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 73,437 (8.9%)
– Median earnings for employees: $44,461 (males: $61,827; girls: $51,375)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 7.4%
– Households with medical insurance: 92.9%
#19. Wyoming
– Median family earnings: $75,532 (7.4% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 13,192 (5.1%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 21,551 (8.4%)
– Median earnings for employees: $42,185 (males: $62,469; girls: $50,152)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 6.4%
– Households with medical insurance: 89.7%
#18. Kansas
– Median family earnings: $75,514 (7.5% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 52,214 (4.3%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 120,201 (10.0%)
– Median earnings for employees: $44,119 (males: $62,003; girls: $51,041)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 6.9%
– Households with medical insurance: 91.5%
#17. Iowa
– Median family earnings: $75,501 (7.5% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 54,185 (4.0%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 111,270 (8.3%)
– Median earnings for employees: $44,656 (males: $63,372; girls: $51,145)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 7.4%
– Households with medical insurance: 94.6%
#16. Montana
– Median family earnings: $75,340 (7.7% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 17,748 (3.8%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 43,546 (9.3%)
– Median earnings for employees: $41,741 (males: $61,245; girls: $50,656)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 6.0%
– Households with medical insurance: 91.2%
#15. North Carolina
– Median family earnings: $73,958 (9.4% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 233,418 (5.2%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 498,662 (11.1%)
– Median earnings for employees: $43,948 (males: $61,870; girls: $51,711)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 8.8%
– Households with medical insurance: 91.4%
#14. Michigan
– Median family earnings: $72,389 (11.3% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 233,459 (5.7%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 388,927 (9.4%)
– Median earnings for employees: $43,195 (males: $66,132; girls: $52,393)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 9.2%
– Households with medical insurance: 94.9%
#13. South Carolina
– Median family earnings: $72,350 (11.3% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 130,320 (5.9%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 210,740 (9.5%)
– Median earnings for employees: $42,275 (males: $60,917; girls: $50,302)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 9.5%
– Households with medical insurance: 91.0%
#12. Ohio
– Median family earnings: $72,212 (11.5% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 266,085 (5.4%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 452,648 (9.2%)
– Median earnings for employees: $45,067 (males: $65,375; girls: $51,851)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 8.7%
– Households with medical insurance: 93.3%
#11. Tennessee
– Median family earnings: $71,997 (11.8% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 148,247 (5.1%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 278,920 (9.5%)
– Median earnings for employees: $43,255 (males: $60,714; girls: $50,326)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 9.3%
– Households with medical insurance: 90.3%
#10. Indiana
– Median family earnings: $71,959 (11.8% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 134,481 (4.8%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 235,596 (8.5%)
– Median earnings for employees: $44,095 (males: $62,312; girls: $51,055)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 8.4%
– Households with medical insurance: 92.5%
#9. Missouri
– Median family earnings: $71,589 (12.3% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 133,085 (5.2%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 234,033 (9.1%)
– Median earnings for employees: $43,094 (males: $61,542; girls: $50,615)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 8.4%
– Households with medical insurance: 92.3%
#8. New Mexico
– Median family earnings: $67,816 (16.9% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 57,182 (6.7%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 75,957 (8.9%)
– Median earnings for employees: $40,349 (males: $60,234; girls: $50,164)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 13.2%
– Households with medical insurance: 89.9%
#7. Alabama
– Median family earnings: $66,659 (18.3% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 131,977 (6.4%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 171,149 (8.3%)
– Median earnings for employees: $41,871 (males: $61,286; girls: $46,985)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 10.9%
– Households with medical insurance: 91.8%
#6. Oklahoma
– Median family earnings: $66,148 (18.9% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 98,805 (6.2%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 118,813 (7.4%)
– Median earnings for employees: $40,862 (males: $56,776; girls: $45,853)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 10.9%
– Households with medical insurance: 88.5%
#5. Kentucky
– Median family earnings: $64,526 (20.9% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 117,510 (6.3%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 139,493 (7.5%)
– Median earnings for employees: $41,577 (males: $59,165; girls: $49,277)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 11.5%
– Households with medical insurance: 93.2%
#4. Arkansas
– Median family earnings: $62,106 (23.9% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 75,258 (6.0%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 81,825 (6.6%)
– Median earnings for employees: $40,734 (males: $55,242; girls: $45,145)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 11.3%
– Households with medical insurance: 90.6%
#3. Louisiana
– Median family earnings: $60,986 (25.3% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 138,049 (7.5%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 147,488 (8.0%)
– Median earnings for employees: $40,882 (males: $62,340; girls: $45,594)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 13.7%
– Households with medical insurance: 92.3%
#2. West Virginia
– Median family earnings: $60,798 (25.5% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 47,999 (6.5%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 43,581 (5.9%)
– Median earnings for employees: $40,545 (males: $60,488; girls: $46,096)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 12.1%
– Households with medical insurance: 94.2%
#1. Mississippi
– Median family earnings: $59,127 (27.5% lower than U.S. median earnings)
– Households incomes lower than $10,000: 83,472 (7.1%)
– Households incomes over $200,000: 70,214 (6.0%)
– Median earnings for employees: $39,108 (males: $53,553; girls: $43,639)
– Households with earnings beneath the poverty stage: 13.5%
– Households with medical insurance: 90.3%
Knowledge reporting on all states above by Stacker/Wade Zhou.
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