The typical American household had a net worth of $176,500 in 2022, according to the Census Bureau, but where you live makes a large difference. The median runs from $71,900 in Louisiana to $472,600 in Hawaii, more than six times as much. Most of that gap is home equity: states with expensive housing produce households with much larger net worth on paper.
Median Household Net Worth by State
| Rank | State | Median Net Worth | Excluding Home Equity | Median Home Equity (owners) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $472,600 | $260,100 | $500,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $375,100 | $123,500 | $354,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $308,400 | $148,300 | $325,000 |
| 4 | Maine | $307,100 | $131,800 | $200,000 |
| 5 | Utah | $305,600 | $90,910 | $291,000 |
| 6 | Maryland | $304,600 | $131,300 | $220,000 |
| 7 | Colorado | $283,700 | $76,350 | $320,000 |
| 8 | California | $278,200 | $85,760 | $500,000 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $267,700 | $122,900 | $300,000 |
| 10 | Montana | $256,900 | $120,400 | $285,000 |
| 11 | Oregon | $241,000 | $66,020 | $300,000 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $220,000 | $98,100 | $140,000 |
| 13 | Idaho | $208,000 | $58,400 | $252,000 |
| 14 | Iowa | $208,000 | $80,340 | $144,000 |
| 15 | Arizona | $203,400 | $70,720 | $249,000 |
| 16 | South Carolina | $200,500 | $78,390 | $175,000 |
| 17 | Virginia | $199,600 | $74,900 | $210,000 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $196,200 | $71,560 | $175,000 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $194,400 | $78,340 | $200,000 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $190,200 | $58,240 | — |
| 21 | Nebraska | $189,400 | $94,710 | $130,000 |
| 22 | Kansas | $182,200 | $94,360 | $110,000 |
| 23 | Illinois | $175,600 | $85,040 | $150,000 |
| 24 | Florida | $173,100 | $39,640 | $210,000 |
| 25 | Indiana | $167,300 | $49,040 | $133,000 |
| 26 | Georgia | $166,300 | $26,000 | $180,000 |
| 27 | Wisconsin | $166,000 | $74,530 | $163,000 |
| 28 | Pennsylvania | $162,600 | $68,200 | $175,000 |
| 29 | New Mexico | $158,200 | $41,990 | $155,000 |
| 30 | Nevada | $157,600 | $23,370 | $210,000 |
| 31 | Michigan | $153,700 | $54,640 | $120,000 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $135,800 | $43,060 | $180,000 |
| 33 | Ohio | $135,600 | $57,300 | $130,000 |
| 34 | Texas | $135,100 | $37,020 | $166,000 |
| 35 | Missouri | $128,200 | $33,760 | $120,000 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $126,700 | $26,640 | — |
| 37 | Kentucky | $126,100 | $35,380 | $120,000 |
| 38 | New York | $123,400 | $52,020 | $200,000 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $98,280 | $28,280 | $117,000 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $96,740 | $18,200 | $100,000 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $93,480 | $32,900 | $95,000 |
| 42 | Alabama | $90,200 | $21,130 | $103,000 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $82,440 | $20,530 | $88,000 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $71,900 | $25,800 | $125,000 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, State-Level Wealth Tables 2022 (median household net worth; national median $176,500). Not published for Alaska, Delaware, District of Columbia, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming, where the Census sample is too small.
The Census Bureau publishes medians, not averages, by state: averages would need far more very wealthy households in each state’s sample than the survey has. The “excluding home equity” column shows how much of each state’s wealth is tied up in housing.
Highest Net Worth States
| Rank | State | Median Net Worth | Excluding Home Equity | Median Home Equity (owners) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $472,600 | $260,100 | $500,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $375,100 | $123,500 | $354,000 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $308,400 | $148,300 | $325,000 |
| 4 | Maine | $307,100 | $131,800 | $200,000 |
| 5 | Utah | $305,600 | $90,910 | $291,000 |
| 6 | Maryland | $304,600 | $131,300 | $220,000 |
| 7 | Colorado | $283,700 | $76,350 | $320,000 |
| 8 | California | $278,200 | $85,760 | $500,000 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $267,700 | $122,900 | $300,000 |
| 10 | Montana | $256,900 | $120,400 | $285,000 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, State-Level Wealth Tables 2022 (median household net worth; national median $176,500).
Several of the top states have high home values, such as Hawaii, Washington and Massachusetts. Median home equity for owners in Hawaii and California is around $500,000, several times the national figure.
Lowest Net Worth States
| Rank | State | Median Net Worth | Excluding Home Equity | Median Home Equity (owners) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | Missouri | $128,200 | $33,760 | $120,000 |
| 36 | Rhode Island | $126,700 | $26,640 | — |
| 37 | Kentucky | $126,100 | $35,380 | $120,000 |
| 38 | New York | $123,400 | $52,020 | $200,000 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $98,280 | $28,280 | $117,000 |
| 40 | West Virginia | $96,740 | $18,200 | $100,000 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $93,480 | $32,900 | $95,000 |
| 42 | Alabama | $90,200 | $21,130 | $103,000 |
| 43 | Mississippi | $82,440 | $20,530 | $88,000 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $71,900 | $25,800 | $125,000 |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Survey of Income and Program Participation, State-Level Wealth Tables 2022 (median household net worth; national median $176,500).
The lowest medians are concentrated in the South, where incomes and home values are lower. Lower home equity means households build less wealth from homeownership, which is the main source of net worth for most middle-income families.
What Drives Net Worth Differences Between States
1. Home values and equity
Home equity is the largest asset for most households. The same mortgage payments build far more equity where home prices are high and rising, which is why coastal and mountain states rank high. The flip side is that high-cost states are expensive to buy into.
2. Income and savings
Higher incomes make it easier to save and invest, and states with more high-paying jobs tend to rank higher, though high living costs offset some of the advantage.
3. Age of the population
Net worth rises with age until retirement, so states with older populations tend to show higher medians. See average net worth by age.
4. Retirement savings
The median household’s retirement accounts are worth $75,000 nationally (among households that have them), and access to workplace plans varies by state and industry.
Compare Yourself
Your state’s median is a local benchmark; the national percentiles show where you stand overall:
| Percentile | Net Worth at or Above |
|---|---|
| 25th | $27,000 |
| 50th (median) | $192,700 |
| 75th | $659,000 |
| 90th (top 10%) | $1,936,900 |
| 95th (top 5%) | $3,795,600 |
| 99th (top 1%) | $13,615,400 |
| 99.9th (top 0.1%) | $62,125,100 |
Source: Federal Reserve, 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, public data (2022 dollars). Families grouped by the age of the household head; percentiles computed from the survey's weighted records.
Use the net worth percentile calculator or the by-age version to find your exact percentile, and see millionaires by state for where the wealthiest households live.
How to Build Net Worth in Any State
- Own your home if it makes sense locally — equity is the main wealth builder for most households, but renting and investing the difference can win in very expensive markets
- Max out tax-advantaged accounts — a 401(k) ($24,500 in 2026) and IRA ($7,500)
- Keep housing costs in proportion to income — especially in high-cost states
- Avoid high-interest debt — it erodes net worth in every state
- Consider state taxes — no-income-tax states let you keep more of what you earn
Part of the net worth guide.
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