Methodology

Why ACS, and why per-state cut-points

This is not our editorial preference. It is what the Census Bureau recommends for state-level income figures:

“The Census Bureau recommends using the ACS for 1-year estimates of income and poverty at the state level.”

The same guidance notes that the other main income survey, the CPS ASEC, needs multi-year averaging before it is used to compare states: “Users looking for consistent, state-level trends should use CPS ASEC 2-year averages and CPS ASEC 3-year averages for state to state comparisons.” We therefore use ACS 1-year estimates for state figures and do not present single-year CPS ASEC numbers by state.

Tables used

• B19080 - household income quintile upper limits (20th, 40th, 60th, 80th) and the lower limit of the top 5%.
• B19013 - median household income.

Both are ACS 2024 1-year estimates, retrieved via the Census Reporter API on 2026-07-11.

Interpolation

The Census publishes a state's distribution only at those cut-points. For an income between two published points we interpolate linearly between them, using the state's own points throughout. No national curve is used and no state median ratio is applied.

The practical consequence: a figure is accurate to a few percentile points, not to the decimal. Each state-and-income page names the two published cut-points its own estimate sits between, so the interpolation is auditable per page rather than described once in the abstract.

Top-coding

The Census top-codes the 95th-percentile cut-point at $250,001. Where a state hits that ceiling the published data cannot distinguish the 96th percentile from the 99th, so we report “top 5%+” rather than inventing a number. Of the 51 states and DC in this dataset, 40 are top-coded at that ceiling and 11 are not.

Limitations

• Interpolated percentiles carry error that grows near the tails of the distribution.
• State figures average over large metro-to-rural variation. A statewide percentile is not a metro percentile.
• Household income combines every earner at an address, so it runs higher than individual income. The two are frequently confused when percentile figures are compared.
• ACS 1-year estimates carry margins of error that we do not currently display. Treat small differences between states as not meaningful.
• Take-home pay, rent burden and affordability figures on this site are computed by us from published rates. They are estimates, not tax or financial advice.

Citation and reuse

The underlying ACS data is US Government public domain. Our per-state compilation and the interpolated percentile figures are free to reuse, including commercially, with credit to Beforeview and a link to this page or to the dataset page.

If you would rather not pass ranking credit, mark the link rel="nofollow" - that is entirely your call and credit is still credit to us.

State-by-state table and embeddable widget → All data sources → Editorial policy →