Utah, Colorado lead the nation in household income growth since 1970: Study

Michigan and West Virginia were at the bottom of the list

Here's how incomes have changed in all 50 states

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(NewsNation) — Americans’ incomes have risen over the past 50 years, but a new analysis shows the gains look very different from state to state.

The typical U.S. household takes home nearly $19,000 more today than in 1970 after adjusting for inflation — a 32 percent increase, according to the Urban Institute.

But the topline number masks a stark divide. In states like Utah (+77.6 percent) and Colorado (+66.6 percent), household incomes rose more than twice the national average between 1970 and 2023, while in Michigan (+2.9 percent) and West Virginia (-0.4 percent), they barely moved at all.

Researchers at the Urban Institute found that incomes generally grew the most in Western, New England and mid-Atlantic states, and the least in Midwestern states.

New Hampshire (+62.2 percent), California (+61.0 percent) and Arizona (+60.2 percent) all saw median household incomes rise much faster than the national average. At the other end, Missouri (+13.3 percent), Indiana (+14.1 percent) and Pennsylvania (+15.2 percent) trailed behind.

Income trends don’t necessarily reflect wage growth alone, the study noted — they’re also shaped by who moves in or out of each state.

Scroll down to see how incomes have changed in all 50 states.

What explains the gap between states?

Educational attainment was the most important factor associated with a state’s income change, the Urban Institute found.

States that saw larger increases in residents with bachelor’s degrees tended to be the ones with bigger gains in median household income — but there are several possible reasons for that, according to the study:

Higher educational attainment could directly boost residents’ earning potential

States with more high-paying jobs may attract workers who already have college degrees

Strong college programs can draw people from out of state who then stay after graduation

The other factor strongly associated with income growth: an increase in the share of immigrants within a state’s population.

“This could reflect that immigration leads to economic growth, that immigrants seek out areas that have demonstrated high economic growth, or both,” the report noted.

Changes in natural resource extraction are also part of the story. Major coal producers in the 1970s — West Virginia, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Ohio — saw job losses as the industry contracted, slowing income growth in several Appalachian states.

Other variables often thought to promote economic development — lower taxes, warmer

temperatures and population growth — did not significantly correlate with income growth, researchers said.

How have incomes actually changed?

Utah saw the largest growth in median household income from 1970 to 2023, rising from about $52,600 to $93,400. That jump moved it from 35th highest in the nation to eighth.

The report attributed the increase to the state’s “booming tech sector” and “growing financial sector” while emphasizing its diversified economy.

At roughly $93,000, Colorado now ranks 9th in median household income, up from 30th in 1970. Arizona has also climbed sharply, going from 44th to 20th overall.

Other states haven’t kept pace. Alaska had the highest median household income in 1970 ($73,168 inflation-adjusted) but now ranks 12th at $86,631.

West Virginia is the only state where household income has actually declined after adjusting for inflation, dropping from 28th ($56,161) in 1970 to 49th ($55,948) — only Mississippi currently ranks lower ($54,203), according to the analysis.

Median household incomes are highest in Massachusetts, at $99,858, followed by New Jersey ($99,781) and Maryland ($98,678).

The findings come from an analysis of U.S. Census data by the Urban Institute, with all median household income figures expressed in 2024 dollars.

U.S. states ranked by the change in median household income from 1970 to 2023 (Urban Institute, Jan. 2026)

United States: 31.9 percent

Utah: 77.6 percent

Colorado: 66.6 percent

New Hampshire: 62.2 percent

California: 61.0 percent

Arizona: 60.2 percent

Virginia: 60.1 percent

Texas: 48.5 percent

Idaho: 48.0 percent

Massachusetts: 47.7 percent

Washington: 45.9 percent

Kansas: 45.8 percent

New Jersey: 42.5 percent

Rhode Island: 41.3 percent

Maryland: 41.0 percent

Florida: 40.4 percent

Minnesota: 39.7 percent

Hawaii: 39.3 percent

Vermont: 38.7 percent

North Dakota: 38.2 percent

Montana: 36.7 percent

South Dakota: 36.5 percent

Maine: 35.1 percent

Arkansas: 34.9 percent

Georgia: 33.8 percent

Alabama: 33.3 percent

Connecticut: 33.2 percent

Nebraska: 32.8 percent

Tennessee: 32.6 percent

Oklahoma: 32.0 percent

South Carolina: 31.9 percent

New York: 30.5 percent

Illinois: 30.2 percent

Kentucky: 29.9 percent

Delaware: 28.6 percent

Wyoming: 27.6 percent

Oregon: 26.7 percent

Nevada: 26.2 percent

New Mexico: 26.0 percent

Louisiana: 25.8 percent

North Carolina: 24.3 percent

Mississippi: 22.4 percent

Iowa: 20.4 percent

Wisconsin: 18.7 percent

Alaska: 18.4 percent

Ohio: 16.6 percent

Pennsylvania: 15.2 percent

Indiana: 14.1 percent

Missouri: 13.3 percent

Michigan: 2.9 percent

West Virginia: -0.4 percent

U.S. states ranked by 2023 median household income (expressed in 2024 dollars) (Urban Institute, Jan. 2026)

United States: $77,719

Massachusetts: $99,858

New Jersey: $99,781

Maryland: $98,678

New Hampshire: $96,838

California: $95,521

Hawaii: $95,322

Washington: $94,605

Utah: $93,421

Colorado: $92,911

Connecticut: $91,665

Virginia: $89,931

Alaska: $86,631

Minnesota: $85,086

Rhode Island: $84,972

New York: $82,095

Delaware: $81,361

Vermont: $81,211

Illinois: $80,306

Oregon: $80,160

Arizona: $77,315

North Dakota: $76,525

Nevada: $76,364

Texas: $75,780

Idaho: $74,942

Georgia: $74,632

Wisconsin: $74,631

Nebraska: $74,590

Pennsylvania: $73,824

Maine: $73,733

Florida: $73,311

Wyoming: $72,415

South Dakota: $71,810

Iowa: $71,433

North Carolina: $70,804

Montana: $70,804

Kansas: $70,333

Indiana: $69,477

Michigan: $69,183

Missouri: $68,545

South Carolina: $67,804

Ohio: $67,769

Tennessee: $67,631

New Mexico: $62,268

Alabama: $62,212

Oklahoma: $62,138

Kentucky: $61,118

Arkansas: $58,700

Louisiana: $58,229

West Virginia: $55,948

Mississippi: $54,203