Average Salary by State 2026: Median Household and Individual Income
From MyCashCalc, the free finance reference
Gross salary headlines can mislead. A $90,000 in California and a $75,000 in Texas may net nearly the same take-home — and buy very different amounts of lifestyle. Here’s the full picture for 2026.
Top 10 Highest-Paid States (Median Household Income)
| Rank | State | Median Household Income | State Income Tax | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Maryland | ~$102,000 | 2%-5.75% | DC metro federal jobs |
| 2 | Massachusetts | ~$96,000 | 5% flat | Biotech, finance, education |
| 3 | New Jersey | ~$95,000 | 1.4%-10.75% | NYC commuter premium |
| 4 | Connecticut | ~$90,000 | 3%-6.99% | Finance corridor, hedge funds |
| 5 | Washington | ~$90,000 | None | Tech (Amazon, Microsoft) |
| 6 | California | ~$89,000 | 1%-13.3% | Tech, entertainment |
| 7 | Colorado | ~$87,000 | 4.4% flat | Tech, aerospace |
| 8 | New York | ~$85,000 | 4%-10.9% | Finance, media |
| 9 | Hawaii | ~$84,000 | 1.4%-11% | High COL offsets income |
| 10 | Minnesota | ~$83,000 | 5.35%-9.85% | Healthcare, finance |
Bottom 10 States (Median Household Income)
| Rank | State | Median Household Income | State Income Tax | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 41 | Oklahoma | ~$60,000 | 0.25%-4.75% | Energy-dependent economy |
| 42 | South Carolina | ~$60,000 | 0%-6.2% | Growing but lower wages |
| 43 | Kentucky | ~$59,000 | 4% flat | Manufacturing base |
| 44 | Louisiana | ~$58,000 | 1.85%-4.25% | Energy, agriculture |
| 45 | Alabama | ~$57,000 | 2%-5% | Manufacturing |
| 46 | New Mexico | ~$57,000 | 1.7%-5.9% | Government, oil |
| 47 | Arkansas | ~$55,000 | 2%-4.4% | Rural economy |
| 48 | West Virginia | ~$53,000 | 2.36%-5.12% | Post-coal transition |
| 49 | Mississippi | ~$50,000 | 0%-4.7% | Lowest in US |
| 50 | Puerto Rico* | ~$23,000 | — | Territory, not comparable |
The After-Tax Reality: TX/FL vs. CA/NY
This is where the narrative shifts. On a $75,000 salary:
| State | Gross | State Income Tax | Federal Tax | FICA | Monthly Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $75,000 | $0 | ~$10,700 | ~$5,738 | ~$4,880 |
| Florida | $75,000 | $0 | ~$10,700 | ~$5,738 | ~$4,880 |
| California | $75,000 | ~$3,200 | ~$10,700 | ~$5,738 | ~$4,614 |
| New York | $75,000 | ~$3,800 | ~$10,700 | ~$5,738 | ~$4,563 |
| New Jersey | $75,000 | ~$2,800 | ~$10,700 | ~$5,738 | ~$4,680 |
The monthly take-home gap between Texas and California at $75k is ~$266/month (~$3,200/year). Significant — but not the full story, since California’s median household income is $14,000 higher than Texas’s.
Full State Income Rankings (Mid-Tier)
| State | Median Household Income | No Income Tax? |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia | ~$82,000 | No |
| Utah | ~$82,000 | No |
| New Hampshire | ~$80,000 | Yes (no wage tax) |
| Alaska | ~$78,000 | Yes |
| Illinois | ~$78,000 | No (4.95% flat) |
| Oregon | ~$76,000 | No |
| Wisconsin | ~$75,000 | No |
| Michigan | ~$74,000 | No |
| Texas | ~$73,000 | Yes |
| Florida | ~$71,000 | Yes |
| Georgia | ~$70,000 | No |
| Nevada | ~$70,000 | Yes |
| Arizona | ~$69,000 | No |
| North Carolina | ~$68,000 | No |
| Ohio | ~$65,000 | No |
| Tennessee | ~$62,000 | Yes |
The Cost-of-Living Adjustment: A Different Story
Before celebrating Texas over California, consider: California’s median $89k in Modesto ($1,200/mo housing) goes further than San Francisco ($3,400/mo housing). State-level medians obscure massive intra-state variation.
The most honest comparison: income relative to housing cost. Using median home price / median household income:
| State | Median Home Price | Median HH Income | Price-to-Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | ~$750,000 | ~$89,000 | 8.4x |
| Hawaii | ~$720,000 | ~$84,000 | 8.6x |
| Washington | ~$530,000 | ~$90,000 | 5.9x |
| Colorado | ~$520,000 | ~$87,000 | 6.0x |
| Texas | ~$300,000 | ~$73,000 | 4.1x |
| Florida | ~$390,000 | ~$71,000 | 5.5x |
| Ohio | ~$220,000 | ~$65,000 | 3.4x |
| Mississippi | ~$170,000 | ~$50,000 | 3.4x |
Ohio and Mississippi have the same price-to-income ratio. The difference is the absolute dollar amount of lifestyle available.
Key Takeaways
- Maryland and Massachusetts lead gross income rankings
- Texas and Florida no-tax advantage narrows (not eliminates) the gap vs. CA/NY on after-tax
- At $75k, the TX vs. CA after-tax difference is ~$266/month
- California and Hawaii have the worst housing-cost-to-income ratios
- State-level medians hide massive city vs. rural gaps within the same state
Calculate your after-tax income by state: Paycheck Calculator
See how income class is defined nationally: What Is Middle Class Income?
References
- Internal Revenue Service. 2026 federal income tax brackets and standard deduction. irs.gov
- Social Security Administration. 2026 Social Security wage base and FICA contribution rates. ssa.gov
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. bls.gov
- State departments of revenue. 2026 state income tax rates and brackets.
This page was last edited on April 10, 2026. Figures are estimates for informational purposes only and are not tax or financial advice.
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