The typical US household earns nearly $20,000 more in income today than it did in 1970, after adjusting for inflation. Though that sounds like strong progress, economic growth has varied from state to state, and this number doesn’t account for that variation.
Inflation-adjusted incomes grew fastest in Western, mid-Atlantic, and New England states, while Midwestern states saw slower growth. Utah saw the greatest percentage growth in median income, whereas West Virginia was the only state to see median income fall.
Discover how well your state has progressed between 1973 and 2023, and learn what factors have helped or hindered economic growth over time.
