Richest states by decade since 1930

Narrow street of residential neighborhood in Newport, Rhode Island, circa 1930.
Lionel Green/Archive Photos // Getty Images

#10. Rhode Island: $795 ($11,400 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Illinois: $810 ($11,600 in 2023 dollars)
#8. Nevada: $834 ($11,900 in 2023 dollars)
#7. Massachusetts: $842 ($12,000 in 2023 dollars)
#6. New Jersey: $851 ($12,200 in 2023 dollars)
#5. Delaware: $858 ($12,300 in 2023 dollars)
#4. California: $889 ($12,700 in 2023 dollars)
#3. Connecticut: $927 ($13,300 in 2023 dollars)
#2. New York: $1,042 ($14,900 in 2023 dollars)
#1. District of Columbia: $1,314 ($18,800 in 2023 dollars)

1930
Aerial view of Chicago in the 1940s.
J Price/Classicstock // Getty Images

#10. Illinois: $758 ($13,100 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Rhode Island: $767 ($13,200 in 2023 dollars)
#8. Massachusetts: $793 ($13,700 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New Jersey: $830 ($14,300 in 2023 dollars)
#6. California: $856 ($14,700 in 2023 dollars)
#5. New York: $883 ($15,200 in 2023 dollars)
#4. Nevada: $902 ($15,500 in 2023 dollars)
#3. Connecticut: $931 ($16,000 in 2023 dollars)
#2. Delaware: $1,038 ($17,900 in 2023 dollars)
#1. District of Columbia: $1,221 ($21,000 in 2023 dollars)

1940
Fishing boats at Moorage Fishermen's Terminal at Salmon Bay, Port of Seattle, in the 1940s.
Authenticated News/Archive Photos // Getty Images

#10. Washington: $1,797 ($17,300 in 2023 dollars)
#9. New Jersey: $1,820 ($17,500 in 2023 dollars)
#8. Illinois: $1,842 ($17,700 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New York: $1,868 ($18,000 in 2023 dollars)
#6. Connecticut: $1,918 ($18,400 in 2023 dollars)
#5. California: $1,947 ($18,700 in 2023 dollars)
#4. Delaware: $2,082 ($20,000 in 2023 dollars)
#3. Nevada: $2,089 ($20,100 in 2023 dollars)
#2. District of Columbia: $2,427 ($23,300 in 2023 dollars)
#1. Alaska: $2,899 ($27,900 in 2023 dollars)

1950
General exterior view of the Boston Garden, circa 1960s.
B Bennett // Getty Images

#10. Massachusetts: $2,548 ($19,700 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Illinois: $2,698 ($20,900 in 2023 dollars)
#8. New Jersey: $2,712 ($21,000 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New York: $2,847 ($22,100 in 2023 dollars)
#6. Connecticut: $2,860 ($22,200 in 2023 dollars)
#5. Delaware: $2,873 ($22,300 in 2023 dollars)
#4. California: $2,931 ($22,700 in 2023 dollars)
#3. Nevada: $3,079 ($23,800 in 2023 dollars)
#2. District of Columbia: $3,125 ($24,200 in 2023 dollars)
#1. Alaska: $3,521 ($27,300 in 2023 dollars)

1960
Law enforcement officers standing at the intersection of Seton Avenue and Main Street in Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Ann E. Zelle // Getty Images

#10. Delaware: $4,724 ($28,800 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Maryland: $4,867 ($29,600 in 2023 dollars)
#8. New Jersey: $4,909 ($29,900 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New York: $4,920 ($30,000 in 2023 dollars)
#6. California: $4,965 ($30,200 in 2023 dollars)
#5. Connecticut: $5,158 ($31,400 in 2023 dollars)
#4. Nevada: $5,191 ($31,600 in 2023 dollars)
#3. District of Columbia: $5,528 ($33,700 in 2023 dollars)
#2. Hawaii: $5,538 ($33,700 in 2023 dollars)
#1. Alaska: $5,911 ($36,000 in 2023 dollars)

1970
Seattle Skyline with Mt. Rainier in background.
Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket // Getty Images

#10. Washington: $11,133 ($34,400 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Maryland: $11,477 ($35,500 in 2023 dollars)
#8. Wyoming: $11,614 ($35,900 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New Jersey: $11,806 ($36,500 in 2023 dollars)
#6. Hawaii: $11,872 ($36,700 in 2023 dollars)
#5. Nevada: $11,949 ($37,000 in 2023 dollars)
#4. California: $11,950 ($37,000 in 2023 dollars)
#3. Connecticut: $12,371 ($38,300 in 2023 dollars)
#2. District of Columbia: $13,234 ($40,900 in 2023 dollars)
#1. Alaska: $15,507 ($48,000 in 2023 dollars)

1980
Kaanapali resort and its hotels in the 1990s.
Gerard SIOEN/Gamma-Rapho // Getty Images

#10. Delaware: $21,462 ($43,200 in 2023 dollars)
#9. California: $21,483 ($43,300 in 2023 dollars)
#8. Hawaii: $22,431 ($45,200 in 2023 dollars)
#7. Maryland: $23,104 ($46,500 in 2023 dollars)
#6. Massachusetts: $23,115 ($46,600 in 2023 dollars)
#5. Alaska: $23,207 ($46,700 in 2023 dollars)
#4. New York: $23,992 ($48,300 in 2023 dollars)
#3. New Jersey: $24,755 ($49,900 in 2023 dollars)
#2. District of Columbia: $26,117 ($52,600 in 2023 dollars)
#1. Connecticut: $26,392 ($53,200 in 2023 dollars)

1990
Large freeways curl through the city in 2000 in San Jose, California.
David McNew/Newsmakers // Getty Images

#10. California: $33,175 ($54,100 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Delaware: $33,810 ($55,100 in 2023 dollars)
#8. Colorado: $33,872 ($55,200 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New Hampshire: $35,323 ($57,600 in 2023 dollars)
#6. Maryland: $35,480 ($57,900 in 2023 dollars)
#5. New York: $35,955 ($58,600 in 2023 dollars)
#4. Massachusetts: $38,381 ($62,600 in 2023 dollars)
#3. New Jersey: $39,095 ($63,800 in 2023 dollars)
#2. Connecticut: $42,857 ($69,900 in 2023 dollars)
#1. District of Columbia: $43,401 ($70,800 in 2023 dollars)

2000
Reagan National Airport seen looking east in Crystal City, Virginia.
Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post // Getty Images

#10. Virginia: $45,443 ($60,400 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Wyoming: $46,395 ($61,700 in 2023 dollars)
#8. New Hampshire: $46,983 ($62,500 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New York: $48,579 ($64,600 in 2023 dollars)
#6. Alaska: $49,543 ($65,900 in 2023 dollars)
#5. Maryland: $49,617 ($66,000 in 2023 dollars)
#4. New Jersey: $50,962 ($67,800 in 2023 dollars)
#3. Massachusetts: $52,708 ($70,100 in 2023 dollars)
#2. Connecticut: $61,392 ($81,600 in 2023 dollars)
#1. District of Columbia: $63,182 ($84,000 in 2023 dollars)

2010
Rush-hour traffic passes in Denver.
JASON CONNOLLY/AFP // Getty Images

#10. Colorado: $64,848 ($74,600 in 2023 dollars)
#9. Wyoming: $65,551 ($75,400 in 2023 dollars)
#8. Washington: $67,669 ($77,900 in 2023 dollars)
#7. New Hampshire: $67,877 ($78,100 in 2023 dollars)
#6. New York: $69,886 ($80,400 in 2023 dollars)
#5. California: $70,058 ($80,600 in 2023 dollars)
#4. New Jersey: $70,952 ($81,600 in 2023 dollars)
#3. Massachusetts: $77,371 ($89,000 in 2023 dollars)
#2. Connecticut: $77,810 ($89,500 in 2023 dollars)
#1. District of Columbia: $89,707 ($103,200 in 2023 dollars)

2020
Aerial view of Concord and the New Hampshire State House.
Mihai_Andritoiu // Shutterstock

#10. New Hampshire: $77,260
#9. Wyoming: $77,837
#8. Colorado: $78,918
#7. New York: $79,581
#6. Washington: $79,659
#5. California: $80,423
#4. New Jersey: $80,724
#3. Connecticut: $87,447
#2. Massachusetts: $87,812
#1. District of Columbia: $100,909

Story editing by Nicole Caldwell. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Clarese Moller.

2023
Elegant white Victorian-style mansion, with palm trees, on a sunny day in San Francisco.
Smith Collection // Getty Images