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America’s wealthiest (and poorest) states

interns Contributor
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New Hampshire is the state with the highest median income in the nation, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s report on income, poverty and health insurance.

The median household income in New Hampshire averaged a cool $65,028 annually over the past two years.

In Mississippi, the average household earned a median of just $35,693 per year in 2008 and 2009, 45% less than New Hampshire households and the lowest income of any state.

Those statistics, which were released Thursday, also indicate that four of the wealthiest states were located in the Northeast and, along with Maryland and Virginia, form a tight cluster of wealth.

The top 10 wealthiest states

Where median income is highest

1 New Hampshire $65,028

2 New Jersey $64,918

3 Connecticut $64,644

4 Maryland $63,828

5 Alaska $62,675

6 Virginia $61,126

7 Utah $60,396

8 Massachusetts $59,732

9 Hawaii $58,469

10 Washington $58,404

Source:U.S. Census Bureau

The bottom 10 poorest states

Where median incomes are lowest

1 Mississippi $35,693

2 Arkansas $37,987

3 West Virginia $39,170

4 Tennessee $40,034

5 South Carolina $41,548

6 Montana $41,587

7 Kentucky $41,828

8 Alabama $42,144

9 North Carolina $42,337

10 Louisiana $42,423

Source:U.S. Census Bureau

Full story: America’s wealthiest (and poorest) states – Sep. 16, 2010