1. What is Income Percentile By State and County?

The income percentile by state and county compares your household income to others in your specific geographic area. It provides a more localized comparison than national income percentiles.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses census data and statistical models:

Where:

• \( Income \) — Annual household income in USD
• \( State \) — The U.S. state or territory
• \( County \) — The specific county or parish

Explanation: The calculator references detailed income distribution tables for each county to determine where your income falls in the local distribution.

3. Importance of Income Percentile

Details: Local income percentiles help understand cost of living differences, economic mobility, and regional economic disparities better than national comparisons.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter your exact pre-tax household income, select your state and county from the dropdown menus. Results will show where you stand compared to neighbors.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What income should I include?
A: Include all pre-tax income sources for all household members: wages, business income, investments, retirement, etc.

Q2: How often is the data updated?
A: Typically updated annually using the latest American Community Survey data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Q3: Why does my percentile vary by location?
A: Income distributions vary significantly between high-cost urban areas and rural regions, even within the same state.

Q4: Are taxes considered in these calculations?
A: No, these are pre-tax comparisons. After-tax comparisons would require additional local tax rate data.

Q5: Can I compare to national percentiles?
A: Some calculators provide both local and national comparisons for context.