The real purchasing power of $100k varies by up to $50,000 depending on your state. See the adjusted value in all 50.
| # | State | Adjusted Value ▼ | Visual | Income | COL | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Mississippi | $120,482 | $46,500 | 83 | A+ | |
| #2 | Arkansas | $119,048 | $52,100 | 84 | A+ | |
| #3 | West Virginia | $119,048 | $48,000 | 84 | A+ | |
| #4 | Oklahoma | $116,279 | $55,800 | 86 | A+ | |
| #5 | Alabama | $114,943 | $56,200 | 87 | A+ | |
| #6 | Kentucky | $114,943 | $55,600 | 87 | A+ | |
| #7 | Missouri | $113,636 | $61,000 | 88 | A+ | |
| #8 | Kansas | $112,360 | $62,100 | 89 | A+ | |
| #9 | Michigan | $112,360 | $63,400 | 89 | A+ | |
| #10 | Ohio | $112,360 | $59,300 | 89 | A+ | |
| #11 | Indiana | $111,111 | $58,600 | 90 | A+ | |
| #12 | Iowa | $111,111 | $63,200 | 90 | A+ | |
| #13 | Louisiana | $109,890 | $52,300 | 91 | A | |
| #14 | Nebraska | $109,890 | $66,500 | 91 | A | |
| #15 | New Mexico | $109,890 | $53,000 | 91 | A | |
| #16 | South Dakota | $109,890 | $62,100 | 91 | A | |
| #17 | Tennessee | $109,890 | $59,700 | 91 | A | |
| #18 | South Carolina | $108,696 | $56,200 | 92 | A | |
| #19 | Georgia | $107,527 | $63,400 | 93 | A | |
| #20 | Illinois | $107,527 | $72,200 | 93 | A | |
| #21 | North Dakota | $107,527 | $64,800 | 93 | A | |
| #22 | Texas | $107,527 | $67,300 | 93 | A | |
| #23 | Wisconsin | $107,527 | $64,800 | 93 | A | |
| #24 | Pennsylvania | $106,383 | $67,600 | 94 | A | |
| #25 | North Carolina | $105,263 | $61,000 | 95 | A | |
| #26 | Wyoming | $105,263 | $65,000 | 95 | A | |
| #27 | Idaho | $103,093 | $62,300 | 97 | A | |
| #28 | Minnesota | $103,093 | $77,700 | 97 | A | |
| #29 | Delaware | $98,039 | $69,100 | 102 | B+ | |
| #30 | Arizona | $97,087 | $65,600 | 103 | B+ | |
| #31 | Florida | $97,087 | $63,100 | 103 | B+ | |
| #32 | Montana | $97,087 | $60,600 | 103 | B+ | |
| #33 | Utah | $97,087 | $75,600 | 103 | B+ | |
| #34 | Virginia | $97,087 | $80,600 | 103 | B+ | |
| #35 | Nevada | $96,154 | $64,200 | 104 | B+ | |
| #36 | Colorado | $95,238 | $80,200 | 105 | B+ | |
| #37 | Maine | $91,743 | $63,200 | 109 | B+ | |
| #38 | Rhode Island | $91,743 | $71,200 | 109 | B+ | |
| #39 | Vermont | $90,909 | $63,400 | 110 | B+ | |
| #40 | New Hampshire | $89,286 | $83,300 | 112 | B | |
| #41 | Oregon | $88,496 | $71,200 | 113 | B | |
| #42 | Washington | $86,957 | $82,100 | 115 | B | |
| #43 | Maryland | $84,746 | $90,200 | 118 | B | |
| #44 | Connecticut | $82,645 | $83,800 | 121 | B | |
| #45 | New Jersey | $82,645 | $87,700 | 121 | B | |
| #46 | Alaska | $78,740 | $77,800 | 127 | C | |
| #47 | Massachusetts | $74,074 | $89,700 | 135 | C | |
| #48 | New York | $71,942 | $75,900 | 139 | C | |
| #49 | California | $70,423 | $84,900 | 142 | C | |
| #50 | Hawaii | $52,632 | $84,900 | 190 | F |
Based on our analysis of purchasing power across all 50 states, Mississippi ranks #1 with $120,482, while Hawaii ranks last at $52,632. The national average is $100,168.
States with no income tax (Alaska, Florida, Nevada, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming) generally perform well on affordability metrics due to higher effective take-home pay.
The gap between the best and worst state is significant: $67,850. This means your choice of state can make a dramatic difference in your purchasing power. Use our cost of living calculator to run the numbers for your specific situation.
Mississippi ranks #1 with $120,482. Arkansas and West Virginia round out the top 3.
Hawaii ranks last (#50) with $52,632. California and New York are also among the worst.
The average across all 50 states is $100,168. The median is $105,263.
This data is calculated using the latest available median income, housing prices, cost of living indices, tax rates, and expense data for each state. Our methodology uses consistent formulas applied to all 50 states for fair comparison.