You Won’t Guess the Wealthiest City in Every US State

In order to combat inflation and lower the cost of living, Hawaii’s governor Josh Green signed the largest income tax cut in Hawaii’s history into law on June 3, 2024. Green’s aim is to keep residents in Hawaii, stating that, “We’ve seen an exodus of people who are living paycheck to paycheck.”

The grim reality of living on a shoestring budget is not unique to citizens of Hawaii. According to a report by the Pew Research Center, as the middle class in the United States shrinks, income growth has been most rapid for the top 5% of families.

In many major cities across the United States, incomes are far higher than average. Cities provide the necessary conditions for increased wealth and prosperity at the individual level and in America, these large cities are thought to be the key to the nation’s future. Based on the most recent available annual data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the combined economic output of the Los Angeles and San Francisco metro areas accounts for over half of California’s annual GDP.

24/7 Wall St. identified the wealthiest city in every U.S. state by using metro area-level data on median household income from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey. Additional income and population data also came from the ACS. It is important to note that four states – Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont – have only one metropolitan area. As a result, the cities listed in these places rank as the richest by default only. 

The typical household earns well over $10,000 more than the national median household income in many of the cities featured on this list. These areas are usually major population centers with rapidly growing technology or financial sectors. (Here is a look at the cities where most people make over $90k a year.)

Why This Matters

24/7 is covering the wealthiest cities in every U.S. state to keep readers informed on economic trends, and how they can affect personal wealth. Some of the cities listed are the nation’s cultural and economic hubs. They provide a multitude of opportunities, from jobs and education to culture and recreation. These cities and urban areas are also magnets for investment capital.

Here is the wealthiest city in every U.S. state.

Alabama: Huntsville

• Average household income: $81,066 – the highest of the 12 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $59,674 – #44 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Huntsville with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 26,394 (5.5% of households – #51 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 514,465

Alaska: Anchorage

• Average household income: $95,791 – the highest of the 2 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $88,121 – #11 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Anchorage with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 20,020 (4.3% of households – #46 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 400,470

Arizona: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler

• Average household income: $82,884 – the highest of the 7 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $74,568 – #19 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 217,891 (4.7% of households – #69 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 5,015,678

Arkansas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers

• Average household income: $73,364 – the highest of the 6 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $55,432 – #47 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 20,679 (4.0% of households – #110 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 576,724

California: San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara

• Average household income: $148,900 – the highest of the 26 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $91,551 – #5 highest of 50 states
• Residences in San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 254,410 (3.4% of households – #1 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 1,938,524

Colorado: Denver-Aurora-Lakewood

• Average household income: $98,975 – the highest of the 7 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $89,302 – #8 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Denver-Aurora-Lakewood with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 218,512 (3.8% of households – #17 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 2,985,871

Connecticut: Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk

• Average household income: $105,968 – the highest of the 4 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $88,429 – #10 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 89,458 (4.9% of households – #3 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 963,211

Delaware: Dover

• Average household income: $72,675 (only metro area in state, highest by default)
• Average household income for entire state: $82,174 – #14 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Dover with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 3,586 (3.9% of households – #310 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 186,946

Florida: Naples-Marco Island

• Average household income: $80,815 – the highest of the 22 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $69,303 – #33 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Naples-Marco Island with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 27,063 (5.1% of households – #25 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 397,994

Georgia: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta

• Average household income: $84,876 – the highest of the 14 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $72,837 – #21 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 309,626 (4.5% of households – #44 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 6,222,908

Hawaii: Urban Honolulu

• Average household income: $96,580 – the highest of the 2 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $92,458 – #4 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Urban Honolulu with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 55,494 (5.1% of households – #24 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 995,638

Idaho: Boise City

• Average household income: $80,928 – the highest of the 6 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $72,785 – #22 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Boise City with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 30,097 (3.2% of households – #100 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 813,801

Illinois: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin

• Average household income: $82,914 – the highest of the 10 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $76,708 – #17 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 508,321 (5.6% of households – #40 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 9,442,159

Indiana: Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson

• Average household income: $75,824 – the highest of the 12 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $66,785 – #38 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 86,243 (5.1% of households – #94 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 2,142,193

Iowa: Des Moines-West Des Moines

• Average household income: $80,061 – the highest of the 8 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $69,588 – #31 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Des Moines-West Des Moines with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 32,635 (3.4% of households – #80 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 729,053

Kansas: Wichita

• Average household income: $67,012 – the highest of the 4 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $68,925 – #34 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Wichita with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 17,543 (5.5% of households – #200 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 650,039

Kentucky: Louisville/Jefferson County

• Average household income: $69,547 – the highest of the 5 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $59,341 – #46 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Louisville/Jefferson County with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 44,932 (5.4% of households – #143 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 1,285,426

Louisiana: Baton Rouge

• Average household income: $64,222 – the highest of the 9 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $55,416 – #48 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Baton Rouge with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 26,526 (6.8% of households – #164 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 873,060

Maine: Portland-South Portland

• Average household income: $84,312 – the highest of the 3 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $69,543 – #32 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Portland-South Portland with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 28,995 (4.4% of households – #63 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 561,576

Maryland: California-Lexington Park

• Average household income: $113,717 – the highest of the 5 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $94,991 – #2 highest of 50 states
• Residences in California-Lexington Park with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 9,939 (5.9% of households – #6 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 114,877

Massachusetts: Boston-Cambridge-Newton

• Average household income: $104,299 – the highest of the 5 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $94,488 – #3 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Boston-Cambridge-Newton with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 437,971 (4.9% of households – #5 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 4,900,550

Michigan: Ann Arbor

• Average household income: $79,665 – the highest of the 14 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $66,986 – #37 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Ann Arbor with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 21,551 (6.4% of households – #35 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 366,376

Minnesota: Minneapolis-St. Paul Bloomington

• Average household income: $91,341 – the highest of the 5 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $82,338 – #13 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 214,549 (3.9% of households – #34 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 3,693,729

Mississippi: Jackson

• Average household income: $58,064 – the highest of the 3 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $52,719 – #50 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Jackson with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 13,825 (7.0% of households – #245 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 580,661

Missouri: Kansas City

• Average household income: $75,280 – the highest of the 8 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $64,811 – #41 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Kansas City with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 92,128 (5.2% of households – #92 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 2,209,152

Montana: Billings

• Average household income: $78,781 – the highest of the 3 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $67,631 – #35 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Billings with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 6,849 (3.6% of households – #130 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 190,208

Nebraska: Omaha-Council Bluffs

• Average household income: $79,638 – the highest of the 3 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $69,597 – #30 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Omaha-Council Bluffs with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 41,472 (4.2% of households – #83 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 976,875

Nevada: Reno

• Average household income: $80,333 – the highest of the 3 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $72,333 – #23 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Reno with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 22,945 (4.7% of households – #70 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 501,206

New Hampshire: Manchester-Nashua

• Average household income: $96,921 (only metro area in state, highest by default)
• Average household income for entire state: $89,992 – #7 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Manchester-Nashua with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 28,332 (2.4% of households – #20 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 426,594

New Jersey: Trenton-Princeton

• Average household income: $95,668 – the highest of the 4 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $96,346 – #1 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Trenton-Princeton with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 28,258 (6.1% of households – #10 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 380,688

New Mexico: Santa Fe

• Average household income: $72,544 – the highest of the 4 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $59,726 – #43 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Santa Fe with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 7,128 (5.7% of households – #104 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 155,664

New York: New York-Newark-Jersey City

• Average household income: $91,562 – the highest of the 13 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $79,557 – #16 highest of 50 states
• Residences in New York-Newark-Jersey City with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 1,454,593 (6.2% of households – #11 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 19,617,869

North Carolina: Raleigh-Cary

• Average household income: $92,739 – the highest of the 15 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $67,481 – #36 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Raleigh-Cary with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 87,109 (3.8% of households – #27 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 1,484,338

North Dakota: Bismarck

• Average household income: $77,969 – the highest of the 3 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $71,970 – #25 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Bismarck with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 5,268 (5.3% of households – #113 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 134,427

Ohio: Columbus

• Average household income: $75,777 – the highest of the 11 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $65,720 – #39 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Columbus with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 93,849 (4.8% of households – #81 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 2,161,511

Oklahoma: Oklahoma City

• Average household income: $66,301 – the highest of the 4 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $59,673 – #45 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Oklahoma City with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 45,490 (6.1% of households – #157 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 1,459,380

Oregon: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro

• Average household income: $89,312 – the highest of the 8 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $75,657 – #18 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 146,467 (4.3% of households – #33 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 2,509,140

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington

• Average household income: $84,123 – the highest of the 18 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $71,798 – #26 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 369,673 (5.6% of households – #30 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 6,241,164

Rhode Island: Providence-Warwick

• Average household income: $81,784 (only metro area in state, highest by default)
• Average household income for entire state: $81,854 – #15 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Providence-Warwick with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 83,695 (5.6% of households – #55 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 1,673,802

South Carolina: Hilton Head Island-Bluffton

• Average household income: $81,038 – the highest of the 8 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $64,115 – #42 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Hilton Head Island-Bluffton with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 13,106 (5.1% of households – #37 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 228,410

South Dakota: Sioux Falls

• Average household income: $77,605 – the highest of the 2 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $69,728 – #29 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Sioux Falls with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 10,130 (4.1% of households – #137 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 289,295

Tennessee: Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin

• Average household income: $80,034 – the highest of the 10 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $65,254 – #40 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 93,449 (4.3% of households – #75 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 2,046,715

Texas: Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown

• Average household income: $94,604 – the highest of the 25 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $72,284 – #24 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 175,533 (4.5% of households – #18 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 2,421,115

Utah: Provo-Orem

• Average household income: $95,687 – the highest of the 5 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $89,168 – #9 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Provo-Orem with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 25,533 (2.9% of households – #58 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 714,454

Vermont: Burlington-South Burlington

• Average household income: $83,707 (only metro area in state, highest by default)
• Average household income for entire state: $73,991 – #20 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Burlington-South Burlington with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 10,170 (4.8% of households – #85 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 228,270

Virginia: Charlottesville

• Average household income: $83,910 – the highest of the 9 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $85,873 – #12 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Charlottesville with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 14,426 (5.9% of households – #26 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 223,534

Washington: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue

• Average household income: $106,909 – the highest of the 11 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $91,306 – #6 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 360,032 (4.1% of households – #7 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 4,034,248

West Virginia: Weirton-Steubenville

• Average household income: $58,076 – the highest of the 7 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $54,329 – #49 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Weirton-Steubenville with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 1,360 (6.3% of households – #380 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 114,066

Wisconsin: Madison

• Average household income: $83,214 – the highest of the 12 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $70,996 – #27 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Madison with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 37,134 (4.6% of households – #57 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 687,077

Wyoming: Cheyenne

• Average household income: $71,621 – the highest of the 2 state metro areas
• Average household income for entire state: $70,042 – #28 highest of 50 states
• Residences in Cheyenne with incomes of $200,000 or higher: 1,776 (4.2% of households – #344 highest out of 384 U.S. metro areas)
• Number of residents: 100,723

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