Politics

Mapped: U.S. Median Income in Blue, Red, and Swing States

Published

5 months ago

October 30, 2024

Bruno Venditti

Graphics/Design:

Anna Diederichs

See this visualization first on the Voronoi app.

Use This Visualization

Mapped: U.S. Median Income in Blue, Red, and Swing States

This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.

The 2024 U.S. presidential election will be determined by over 186 million voters, but the outcome will likely hinge on a small group in a few key swing states.

Of the 50 states, only seven are truly competitive, with the rest strongly favoring either Democrats or Republicans.

This graphic shows the median household income (2023) by state, categorized into blue (Democratic), red (Republican), and the seven swing states. Data is sourced from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis and various media outlets.

Blue States Generally Have Higher Incomes

Blue states generally have higher household incomes, driven by urbanized, diversified, and service-oriented economies. Many blue states exceed the national median of $81,000, with states like Massachusetts and Maryland reporting average incomes over $100,000 per year.

Blue States (Democratic)	Household Income (K)	Political Leanings
Massachusetts	107K	Blue State
Maryland	102K	Blue State
Utah	101K	Red State
New Hampshire	99K	Blue State
Alaska	98K	Red State
Colorado	97K	Blue State
Hawaii	97K	Blue State
Virginia	96K	Blue State
Washington	93K	Blue State
Connecticut	92K	Blue State
New Jersey	92K	Blue State
California	90K	Blue State
Minnesota	90K	Blue State
Oregon	89K	Blue State
Nebraska	89K	Red State
Illinois	88K	Blue State
Delaware	86K	Blue State
Vermont	85K	Blue State
Kansas	85K	Red State
Arizona	83K	Swing State
New York	82K	Blue State
Rhode Island	82K	Blue State
South Dakota	82K	Red State
Iowa	81K	Red State
Nevada	81K	Swing State
Pennsylvania	80K	Swing State
Wisconsin	80K	Swing State
Montana	79K	Red State
Texas	79K	Red State
Missouri	78K	Red State
Indiana	77K	Red State
North Dakota	77K	Red State
Wyoming	77K	Red State
Michigan	77K	Swing State
Maine	76K	Blue State
Idaho	74K	Red State
Ohio	74K	Red State
Tennessee	73K	Red State
Florida	72K	Red State
Georgia	72K	Swing State
South Carolina	69K	Red State
North Carolina	69K	Swing State
Oklahoma	67K	Red State
Arkansas	63K	Red State
Kentucky	62K	Red State
New Mexico	61K	Blue State
Alabama	61K	Red State
West Virginia	60K	Red State
Louisiana	58K	Red State
Mississippi	55K	Red State
U.S. Average	81K

In contrast, red states tend to have lower incomes, with economies relying more on agriculture, manufacturing, and natural resources. Several of these states fall below the national average, with Mississippi ($55,000) and Louisiana ($58,000) under $60,000.

However, exceptions exist on both sides. New Mexico, a blue state, has a lower income of $61,000, while Alaska ($98,000) and Utah ($101,000), both red states, have median incomes higher than the national average.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

To learn more about this topic from the perspective of election contributions, check out this graphic on the top companies by PAC donations in 2024.

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