Median Income Comparison
Income

Alabama vs California: Median Income

California has a higher median household income than Alabama by $29,154.

Alabama flag
Alabama
AL • South
$54,943
Median household income in U.S. dollars.
California flag
California
CA • West
Winner
$84,097
Median household income in U.S. dollars.

Visual Comparison

Alabama $54,943
California $84,097

Difference: $29,154 — California leads.

National Rankings

Where They Rank Nationally

See where both states fall among all 50 states for median income.

Alabama #47 · $54,943
California #12 · $84,097
Lowest Highest

Top 10 States — Median Income

#1 Maryland flag Maryland
$98,461
#2 New Jersey flag New Jersey
$97,126
#3 Massachusetts flag Massachusetts
$96,505
#4 New Hampshire flag New Hampshire
$90,845
#5 Washington flag Washington
$90,325
#6 Connecticut flag Connecticut
$90,213
#7 Hawaii flag Hawaii
$88,005
#8 Colorado flag Colorado
$87,598
#9 Virginia flag Virginia
$87,249
#10 Alaska flag Alaska
$86,533
Selected states
#47 Alabama flag Alabama
$54,943
#12 California flag California
$84,097

Alabama ranks 47th and California ranks 12th nationally for median income.

Related Context

Income in Context

A paycheck only matters relative to what things cost — and how much stays after taxes.

What This Means

Alabama vs California: Median Income in context

California has a median income of $84,097, compared with $54,943 in Alabama, a gap of 53.1%. Median household income in U.S. dollars.

Alabama
$54,943
California
$84,097
Difference
$29,154

People Also Ask

Alabama vs California Median Income — Common Questions

Q What is Alabama's median income?

Alabama's median income is $54,943.

Q What is California's median income?

California's median income is $84,097.

Q Which state has a higher median income — Alabama or California?

California has a higher median household income than Alabama by $29,154.

Q How much more median income does California have compared to Alabama?

$29,154.

Sources: Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker.