The Median Income in Every State, Adjusted for Cost of Living

What We’re Showing

This graphic shows the median average income in every U.S. state, adjusted for cost of living.

All figures come from WalletHub, which compiled income data from the U.S. Census Bureau, and cost of living adjustments from the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER).

What is COLI?

The Cost of Living Index published by the C2ER was established in 1968, and allows for consistent place-to-place cost comparisons.

The index considers six categories of spending: groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, and miscellaneous. Data is accessible at various levels including state, county, and metropolitan statistical area (MSA).

What is Median Income?

Median income refers to the income level at the midpoint of the income distribution within each state. Using California as an example, half of the state's households earn more than $124,000, while the other half earn less (after adjusting for cost of living).