Average 401(k) Balance by State (2026 Estimates)
There is no public IRS database of 401(k) balances by state. This page publishes transparent modeled medians so you can compare regions—not claim precision you cannot verify.
Estimated median 401(k) balance by state
| State | Est. median HH income | Est. median 401(k) |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $98,000 | $42,500 |
| Massachusetts | $96,000 | $41,800 |
| New Jersey | $94,000 | $40,900 |
| Maryland | $93,000 | $40,400 |
| Connecticut | $92,000 | $39,900 |
| California | $91,000 | $39,500 |
| Washington | $90,000 | $39,000 |
| New Hampshire | $88,000 | $38,200 |
| Colorado | $87,000 | $37,800 |
| Virginia | $86,000 | $37,300 |
| Hawaii | $85,000 | $36,900 |
| Minnesota | $84,000 | $36,500 |
| Utah | $83,000 | $36,000 |
| Illinois | $82,000 | $35,600 |
| Alaska | $82,000 | $35,600 |
| New York | $81,000 | $35,200 |
| Delaware | $80,000 | $34,800 |
| Rhode Island | $79,000 | $34,300 |
| Oregon | $78,000 | $33,900 |
| Texas | $77,000 | $33,500 |
| Georgia | $76,000 | $33,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,000 | $32,600 |
| Arizona | $74,000 | $32,200 |
| Wisconsin | $74,000 | $32,200 |
| Nevada | $73,000 | $31,700 |
| North Dakota | $73,000 | $31,700 |
| Nebraska | $72,000 | $31,300 |
| Ohio | $71,000 | $30,900 |
| Michigan | $71,000 | $30,900 |
| Kansas | $70,000 | $30,400 |
| Indiana | $69,000 | $30,000 |
| Iowa | $69,000 | $30,000 |
| Missouri | $68,000 | $29,600 |
| Florida | $67,000 | $29,100 |
| North Carolina | $67,000 | $29,100 |
| South Dakota | $66,000 | $28,700 |
| Tennessee | $65,000 | $28,300 |
| South Carolina | $65,000 | $28,300 |
| Montana | $64,000 | $27,800 |
| Idaho | $64,000 | $27,800 |
| Wyoming | $63,000 | $27,400 |
| Oklahoma | $62,000 | $27,000 |
| Kentucky | $61,000 | $26,500 |
| Alabama | $60,000 | $26,100 |
| Louisiana | $59,000 | $25,600 |
| Arkansas | $58,000 | $25,200 |
| New Mexico | $58,000 | $25,200 |
| West Virginia | $57,000 | $24,800 |
| Mississippi | $52,000 | $22,600 |
Compare against age-based benchmarks on average 401(k) balance by age and project your own path with the 401(k) calculator.
Data sources
- Federal Reserve Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) — national retirement account distributions.
- U.S. Census Bureau — state median household income.
Frequently asked questions
Are these official state-reported 401(k) balances?
No. They are educational estimates modeled from national Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) retirement account medians, scaled by Census state median household income. Your state plan filings are not published individually.
Why do high-income states show higher 401(k) balances?
Participation rates, employer plan availability, and income available to defer all correlate with state earnings. The model uses income scaling—not employer-level filings.
How should I use this table?
Treat it as a regional comparison lens, then benchmark your own balance with the age-based table and the 401(k) calculator—not as a precise state filing.
Editor’s note (David Jones): I maintain these pages as an independent calculator researcher—not as a broker or wealth manager. When IRS notices change, we update limit-driven tools first, then refresh explanatory copy.
How We Reviewed This Page
Methodology
- Scaled national SCF retirement-account medians by Census state median household income (0.65 elasticity).
- Sorted states by modeled balance for scanability; no employer filing data exists at state level.
This Page's Original Judgment
- We publish original framing (model steps, field order, or formula comparisons) rather than republishing plan marketing language.
- Where data is modeled—not surveyed—we state the elasticity or source hierarchy explicitly.
2026 Update Record
- Aligned with 2026 IRS elective deferral and catch-up figures after Notice 2025-67.
- Added or refreshed internal links to the flagship calculator and limits reference.
How we document this page (E-E-A-T)
Experience. Written for U.S. workers reading real pay stubs and plan portals—not for abstract theory.
Expertise. Published by David Jones, who maintains calculator methodology on 401lcalculator.com. Numeric limits align with our 2026 limits page (IRS Notice 2025-67).
Trustworthiness. Educational projections only. Calculations run locally in your browser. Report a correction with a primary source link.