Per Capita Income in United States
United States
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United States Value:
$41,804
Per capita income in the past 12 months, in inflation-adjusted dollars to data year
Per Capita Income in depth:
Explore Population Data:
Appears In:
Per Capita Income by State: Black
Per capita income among the Black/African American population in the past 12 months, in inflation-adjusted dollars to data year
Per Capita Income in
Data from U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2022
>= $35,632
$30,490 - $35,631
$27,306 - $30,489
$24,793 - $27,305
<= $24,792
Per Capita Income: Black
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2022
About Per Capita Income
US Value: $41,804
Top State(s): Massachusetts: $54,025
Bottom State(s): Mississippi: $29,045
Definition: Per capita income in the past 12 months, in inflation-adjusted dollars to data year
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 2022
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2024.
Per capita income is the total income of a population divided by the number of people in that population. This measure is often used to show the relative wealth of a state or nation. Individuals with low household incomes have lower life expectancy and higher rates of disease than people in higher-income households.
Additionally, poverty can cause chronic stress, which is associated with a multitude of health issues, including depression, digestive issues, high blood pressure and sleep problems.
Populations with higher household incomes include:
- Asian households followed by non-Hispanic white households.
- Those living inside metropolitan statistical areas (i.e., in and near cities) compared with those living outside metropolitan statistical areas (i.e., in rural areas).
- Those living in the Northeast and West regions of the country compared with those living in the Midwest and South.
- Male workers compared with female workers.
Reducing the unemployment rate and increasing wages for workers are strategies that may increase median household income. Creating awareness for government support initiatives such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) can help those with lower incomes access healthy food and save money.
Healthy People 2030 has an objective to reduce the proportion of people living in poverty.
Guzman, Gloria, and Melissa Kollar. “Income in the United States: 2022.” Current Population Reports P60-279. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Census Bureau, September 2023. https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2023/demo/p60-279.pdf.
Khullar, Dhruv, and Dave A. Chokshi. “Health, Income, & Poverty: Where We Are & What Could Help.” Health Affairs Health Policy Brief. Bethesda, MD: Project HOPE, October 4, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1377/hpb20180817.901935.
Mishel, Lawrence, and Ross Eisenbrey. “How to Raise Wages: Policies That Work and Policies That Don’t.” Briefing Paper #391. Washington, D.C.: Economic Policy Institute, March 19, 2015. https://www.epi.org/publication/how-to-raise-wages-policies-that-work-and-policies-that-dont/.
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