The Great American DIVIDE: Census reveals the richest and poorest states in America based on earnings - with Maryland coming out on top and Mississippi fixed firmly at the bottom

  • Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2014 American Community Survey details the country's richest and poorest states
  • Mississippi, West Virginia and Arkansas are the poorest three
  • Maryland, New Jersey and Alaska are the richest
  • Mississippi had an average household income of $39,680 - while in Maryland it was $73,971 
  • 3.2million jobs were added to U.S. workforce last year, bringing the total number of employed Americans to 139million  

By Regina F. Graham For Dailymail.com

Published: 21:41 EST, 18 September 2015 | Updated: 02:39 EST, 19 September 2015

The United States added 3.2 million jobs to the workforce in 2014, bringing the total to 139million people employed, according to new figures released by the Census Bureau.

But despite the employment growth, the number of people living in poverty remained the same as in 2013 - around 46.7.million, or 14.8 per cent - the bureau's American Community Survey showed. 

And average incomes improved only slightly to bring them to $53,660.

For the poorest state, Mississippi, the median household income dropped to $39,680. In the richest state, Maryland, the figure was almost double, at $73,971.

Rich: In 2014, Maryland is the top richest state in the country. A home in Howard County is pictured above

Rich: In 2014, Maryland is the top richest state in the country. A home in Howard County is pictured above

New Jersey came in second behind Maryland for richest state. Above a home in Alexandria is pictured

New Jersey came in second behind Maryland for richest state. Above a home in Alexandria is pictured

It marks the third year in a row that incomes have stagnated.

White families saw a 1.7 per cent decline, while black, Hispanic and Asian households saw no change, according to the annual look at poverty and income across America. 

The Census Bureau, in its annual look at poverty and income in the United States, said both the country's median income and poverty rate were statistically unchanged in 2014 from the previous year.

Median income - the point where half of the households have income below it and half have income above it - showed no statistically significant change, despite the small drop to $53,700 in 2014 from 2013's $54,500. Median income is a broad measure of the economic health of the middle class.

The poverty rate also showed no statistically significant change. In 2014, the poverty rate in the United States was 14.8 percent, which was the same as in 2013. The poverty rate had dropped in 2013 from 15 percent in 2012, the first such drop since 2006.

There were 46.7 million people in poverty, which is also a statistically similar number from the previous four years. In 2014, a family with two adults and two children was categorized as in poverty if their income was less than $24,008. 

West Virginia is the 49th poorest state in America. Above a dilapidated building is pictured in McDowell County

West Virginia is the 49th poorest state in America. Above a dilapidated building is pictured in McDowell County

Arkansas is the 48th poorest state in the country. Above, two homes are pictured in Lee County

Arkansas is the 48th poorest state in the country. Above, two homes are pictured in Lee County

Mississippi is the poorest state in America. Above, a dilapidated building is pictured in Holmes County

Mississippi is the poorest state in America. Above, a dilapidated building is pictured in Holmes County

Census officials said they weren't surprised by the flat numbers. 'It's not unusual for it not to go down two years in a row,' said Trudi J. Renwick, chief of the Poverty Statistics Branch in the bureau's Housing and Household Economic Statistics Division.

A White House statement said: 'Real median income for family households rose $408 in 2014, while real median income for non-family households also rose but overall median household income declined.' 

In an effort to identify the richest and poorest states with the highest and lowest median household income, 24/7 Wall Street reviewed state data from the survey and compiled the following list: 

AMERICA'S POOREST AND RICHEST STATES IN 2014

50. Mississippi - Median household income: $39,680 Population: 2,994,079 Unemployment rate: 7.8% Poverty rate: 21.5%

49. West Virginia - Median household income: $41,059 Population: 1,850,326 Unemployment rate: 6.5% Poverty rate: 18.3%

48. Arkansas - Median household income: $41,262 Population: 2,966,369 Unemployment rate: 6.1% Poverty rate: 18.9%

47. Alabama - Median household income: $42,830 Population: 4,849,377 Unemployment rate: 6.8% Poverty rate: 19.3%

46. Kentucky - Median household income: $42,958 Population: 4,413,457 Unemployment rate: 6.5% Poverty rate: 19.1%

45. Tennessee - Median household income: $44,361 Population: 6,549,352 Unemployment rate: 6.7% Poverty rate: 18.3%

44. Louisiana - Median household income: $44,555 Population: 4,649,676 Unemployment rate: 6.4% Poverty rate: 19.8%

43. New Mexico - Median household income: $44,803 Population: 2,085,572 Unemployment rate: 6.5% Poverty rate: 21.3%

42. South Carolina - Median household income: $45,238 Population: 4,832,482 Unemployment rate: 6.4% Poverty rate: 18.0%

41. Montana - Median household income: $46,328 Population: 1,023,579 Unemployment rate: 4.7% Poverty rate: 15.4%

40. North Carolina - Median household income: $46,556 Population: 9,943,964 Unemployment rate: 6.1% Poverty rate: 17.2% 

39. Florida - Median household income: $47,463 Population: 19,893,297 Unemployment rate: 6.3% Poverty rate: 16.5%

38. Oklahoma - Median household income: $47,529 Population: 3,878,051 Unemployment rate: 4.5% Poverty rate: 16.6%

37. Idaho - Median household income: $47,861 Population: 1,634,464 Unemployment rate: 4.8% Poverty rate: 14.8%

36. Missouri - Median household income: $48,363 Population: 6,063,589 Unemployment rate: 6.1% Poverty rate: 15.5%

35. Ohio - Median household income: $49,308 Population: 11,594,163 Unemployment rate: 5.7% Poverty rate: 15.8%

34. Georgia - Median household income: $49,321 Population: 10,097,343 Unemployment rate: 7.2% Poverty rate: 18.3%

33. Indiana - Median household income: $49,446 Population: 6,596,855 Unemployment rate: 6.0% Poverty rate: 15.2%

32. Maine - Median household income: $49,462 Population: 1,330,089 Unemployment rate: 5.7% Poverty rate: 14.1%

31. Michigan - Median household income: $49,847 Population: 9,909,877 Unemployment rate: 7.3% Poverty rate: 16.2%

30. Arizona - Median household income: $50,068 Population: 6,731,484 Unemployment rate: 6.9% Poverty rate: 18.2%

29. South Dakota - Median household income: $50,979 Population: 853,175 Unemployment rate: 3.4% Poverty rate: 14.2%

28. Oregon - Median household income: $51,075 Population: 3,970,239 Unemployment rate: 6.9% Poverty rate: 16.6%

27. Nevada - Median household income: $51,450 Population: 2,839,099 Unemployment rate: 7.8% Poverty rate: 15.2%

26. Kansas - Median household income: $52,504 Population: 2,904,021 Unemployment rate: 4.5% Poverty rate: 13.6%

25. Wisconsin - Median household income: $52,622 Population: 5,757,564 Unemployment rate: 5.5% Poverty rate: 13.2%

24. Nebraska - Median household income: $52,686 Population: 1,881,503 Unemployment rate: 3.3% Poverty rate: 12.4%

23. Texas - Median household income: $53,035 Population: 26,956,958 Unemployment rate: 5.1% Poverty rate: 17.2%

22. Pennsylvania - Median household income: $53,234 Population: 12,787,209 Unemployment rate: 5.8% Poverty rate: 13.6%

21. Iowa - Median household income: $53,712 Population: 3,107,126 Unemployment rate: 4.4% Poverty rate: 12.2%

20. Vermont - Median household income: $54,166 Population: 626,562 Unemployment rate: 4.1% Poverty rate: 12.2%

19. Rhode Island - Median household income: $54,891 Population: 1,055,173 Unemployment rate: 7.7% Poverty rate: 14.3%

18. Wyoming - Median household income: $57,055 Population: 584,153 Unemployment rate: 4.3% Poverty rate: 11.2%

17. Illinois - Median household income: $57,444 Population: 12,880,580 Unemployment rate: 7.1% Poverty rate: 14.4%

16. New York - Median household income: $58,878 Population: 19,746,227 Unemployment rate: 6.3% Poverty rate: 15.9%

15. North Dakota - Median household income: $59,029 Population: 739,482 Unemployment rate: 2.8% Poverty rate: 11.5%

14. Delaware - Median household income: $59,716 Population: 935,614 Unemployment rate: 5.7% Poverty rate: 12.5%

13. Utah - Median household income: $60,922 Population: 2,942,902 Unemployment rate: 3.8% Poverty rate: 11.7%

12. Colorado - Median household income: $61,303 Population: 5,355,866 Unemployment rate: 5.0%Poverty rate: 12.0%

11. Washington - Median household income: $61,366 Population: 7,061,530 Unemployment rate: 6.2% Poverty rate: 13.2%

10. Minnesota - Median household income: $61,481 Population: 5,457,173 Unemployment rate: 4.1% Poverty rate: 11.5%

9. California - Median household income: $61,933 Population: 38,802,500 Unemployment rate: 7.5% Poverty rate: 16.4%

8. Virginia - Median household income: $64,902 Population: 8,326,289 Unemployment rate: 5.2% Poverty rate: 11.8%

7. New Hampshire - Median household income: $66,532 Population: 1,326,813 Unemployment rate: 4.3% Poverty rate: 9.2%

6. Massachusetts - Median household income: $69,160 Population: 6,745,408 Unemployment rate: 5.8% Poverty rate: 11.6%

5. Hawaii - Median household income: $69,592 Population: 1,419,561 Unemployment rate: 4.4% Poverty rate: 11.4%

4. Connecticut - Median household income: $70,048 Population: 3,596,677 Unemployment rate: 6.6% Poverty rate: 10.8%

3. Alaska - Median household income: $71,583 Population: 736,732 Unemployment rate: 6.8% Poverty rate: 11.2%

2. New Jersey - Median household income: $71,919 Population: 8,938,175 Unemployment rate: 6.6% Poverty rate: 11.1%

1. Maryland - Median household income: $73,971 Population: 5,976,407 Unemployment rate: 5.8% Poverty rate: 10.1%

 

 

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