Where Americans Earn the Most Income — And the Least

The median yearly income in the U.S. is about $81,000, according to the Federal Reserve. But income levels vary widely depending on where you live.

To better understand gaps across the country, WalletHub ranked all 50 states and the District of Columbia using three key measures:
Average income of the top 5%
Average income of the bottom 20%
Median income of all residents

“The highest-earning 10% of individuals in the United States earn over 12 times more than those in the lowest-earning 10%,” said Chip Lupo, an analyst at WalletHub. “By measuring incomes across percentiles, we can better see why some Americans struggle more than others.”

Top 10 States Where People Have the Highest:
Virginia
New Jersey
New York
Connecticut
Washington
Utah
Minnesota
Colorado
Illinois
Massachusetts

Bottom 10 States With the Lowest:
West Virginia
New Mexico
Mississippi
Louisiana
Maine
Vermont
Alabama
Alaska
Rhode Island
Arkansas

How Indiana Ranks
Indiana comes in at No. 33 overall. The state’s median income is $66,989, which is lower than the national average. The top 5% of earners bring in about $415,138, while the bottom 20% average just $17,275. This suggests that paychecks in Indiana is fairly modest across the board, with room for growth. Compared to wealthier states, Hoosiers tend to earn less.

For more data and rankings, visit WalletHub’s full report.