Success—or a lack thereof—can often be in the eye of the beholder. While some people see money and material wealth as the basic definition of success, others might point to more intangible things, like one’s happiness or sense of fulfillment. But when it comes to determining whether a state as a whole is more or less successful than others, it's important to use the most recent and measurable data points available. To start, we looked at the ratio of millionaires to total households in the state, compiled by Phoenix Marketing International, as well as the median household income, according to the U.S. Census (the lower these numbers, the less successful the state was considered). We combined these metrics with those that indicated economic challenges, including which states had the highest poverty rate, per the U.S. Census, and highest unemployment rate, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Taking all of these numbers into account, we came up with a final “Unsuccessful Score” for each state.
In the end, the state that's struggling the most may surprise you. Though it is known for its glitz and glamour, this western state has seen many setbacks, especially in 2020. It has an extremely high poverty rate and one of the worst unemployment rates in the country. Additionally, the median household income is only around $63,000, which is a staggering $23,000 less than the most successful state. To find out which state fared the worst, scroll through our ranking from the most successful to the least successful states. And for more state rivalries, This Is the Most Hated State in America.
50 | Maryland
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 8.85 percent
Poverty rate: 9 percent
Median household income: $86,738
Unemployment rate: 7.2 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 0.26
And for more places that are struggling this year, This Is the Worst State to Live in Right Now.
49 | Utah
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 6.39 percent
Poverty rate: 8.9 percent
Median household income: $75,780
Unemployment rate: 5 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 1.89
48 | Colorado
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 7.48 percent
Poverty rate: 9.3 percent
Median household income: $77,127
Unemployment rate: 6.4 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 8.24
And for more states that could look better, This Is the Ugliest State in the U.S.
47 | New Hampshire
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 6.06 percent
Poverty rate: 7.3 percent
Median household income: $77,933
Unemployment rate: 6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 8.48
46 | Nebraska
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.74 percent
Poverty rate: 9.9 percent
Median household income: $63,229
Unemployment rate: 3.5 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 8.54
45 | Vermont
iStockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.79 percent
Poverty rate: 10.2 percent
Median household income: $63,001
Unemployment rate: 4.2 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 8.67
44 | New Jersey
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 6.69 percent
Poverty rate: 9.2 percent
Median household income: $85,751
Unemployment rate: 6.7 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 12.55
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43 | Connecticut
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 8.89 percent
Poverty rate: 10 percent
Median household income: $78,833
Unemployment rate: 7.8 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 12.91
42 | Alaska
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 8.18 percent
Poverty rate: 10.1 percent
Median household income: $75,463
Unemployment rate: 7.2 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 14.22
41 | Minnesota
f11photo / ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 6.00 percent
Poverty rate: 9 percent
Median household income: $74,593
Unemployment rate: 6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 15.70
40 | Wisconsin
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.83 percent
Poverty rate: 10.4 percent
Median household income: $64,168
Unemployment rate: 5.4 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 20.39
39 | Virginia
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.45 percent
Poverty rate: 9.9 percent
Median household income: $76,456
Unemployment rate: 6.2 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 23.6
38 | North Dakota
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.73 percent
Poverty rate: 10.6 percent
Median household income: $64,577
Unemployment rate: 4.4 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 26.54
37 | Massachusetts
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 8.60 percent
Poverty rate: 9.4 percent
Median household income: $85,843
Unemployment rate: 9.6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 27.78
36 | South Dakota
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.89 percent
Poverty rate: 11.9 percent
Median household income: $59,533
Unemployment rate: 4.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 28.76
35 | Wyoming
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.45 percent
Poverty rate: 10.1 percent
Median household income: $65,003
Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 28.92
34 | Iowa
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.10 percent
Poverty rate: 11.2 percent
Median household income: $61,691
Unemployment rate: 4.7 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 30
33 | Maine
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.60 percent
Poverty rate: 10.9 percent
Median household income: $58,924
Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 33.24
32 | Missouri
Sean Pavone / ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.43 percent
Poverty rate: 12.9 percent
Median household income: $57,409
Unemployment rate: 4.9 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 36.77
31 | Kansas
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.48 percent
Poverty rate: 11.4 percent
Median household income: $62,087
Unemployment rate: 5.9 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 39.56
30 | Montana
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.30 percent
Poverty rate: 12.6 percent
Median household income: $57,153
Unemployment rate: 5.3 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 40.97
29 | Delaware
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 6.70 percent
Poverty rate: 11.3 percent
Median household income: $70,176
Unemployment rate: 8.2 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 41.56
28 | Washington
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.86 percent
Poverty rate: 9.8 percent
Median household income: $78,687
Unemployment rate: 7.8 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 42.61
27 | South Carolina
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.08 percent
Poverty rate: 13.8 percent
Median household income: $56,227
Unemployment rate: 5.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 44.69
26 | Idaho
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.76 percent
Poverty rate: 11.2 percent
Median household income: $60,999
Unemployment rate: 6.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 46.9
25 | Indiana
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.23 percent
Poverty rate: 11.9 percent
Median household income: $57,603
Unemployment rate: 6.2 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 48.17
24 | Tennessee
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.21 percent
Poverty rate: 13.9 percent
Median household income: $56,071
Unemployment rate: 6.3 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 48.59
23 | Georgia
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.67 percent
Poverty rate: 13.3 percent
Median household income: $61,980
Unemployment rate: 6.4 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 48.89
22 | Arizona
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.78 percent
Poverty rate: 13.5 percent
Median household income: $62,055
Unemployment rate: 6.7 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 51.62
21 | California
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 8.51 percent
Poverty rate: 11.8 percent
Median household income: $80,440
Unemployment rate: 11 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 52.36
20 | Florida
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.47 percent
Poverty rate: 12.7 percent
Median household income: $59,227
Unemployment rate: 7.6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 54.46
19 | Texas
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 6.32 percent
Poverty rate: 13.6 percent
Median household income: $64,034
Unemployment rate: 8.3 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 55.38
18 | Oklahoma
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.51 percent
Poverty rate: 15.2 percent
Median household income: $54,449
Unemployment rate: 5.3 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 56.05
17 | Pennsylvania
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.75 percent
Poverty rate: 12 percent
Median household income: $63,463
Unemployment rate: 8.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 60.64
16 | Oregon
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.12 percent
Poverty rate: 11.4 percent
Median household income: $67,058
Unemployment rate: 8 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 60.77
15 | Alabama
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.87 percent
Poverty rate: 15.5 percent
Median household income: $51,734
Unemployment rate: 6.6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 61.11
14 | Kentucky
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.71 percent
Poverty rate: 16.3 percent
Median household income: $52,295
Unemployment rate: 5.6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 61.93
13 | North Carolina
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.87 percent
Poverty rate: 13.6 percent
Median household income: $57,341
Unemployment rate: 7.3 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 67.1
12 | Michigan
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.82 percent
Poverty rate: 13 percent
Median household income: $59,584
Unemployment rate: 8.5 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 69.06
11 | New York
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.25 percent
Poverty rate: 13 percent
Median household income: $72,108
Unemployment rate: 9.7 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 71.57
10 | Illinois
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.50 percent
Poverty rate: 11.5 percent
Median household income: $69,187
Unemployment rate: 10.2 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 71.66
9 | Rhode Island
JJM Photography / ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.32 percent
Poverty rate: 10.8 percent
Median household income: $71,169
Unemployment rate: 10.5 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 72.92
8 | Ohio
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.89 percent
Poverty rate: 13.1 percent
Median household income: $58,642
Unemployment rate: 8.4 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 75.80
7 | Hawaii
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 9.20 percent
Poverty rate: 9.3 percent
Median household income: $83,102
Unemployment rate: 15.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 79.35
6 | Arkansas
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.71 percent
Poverty rate: 16.2 percent
Median household income: $48,952
Unemployment rate: 7.3 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 80.3
5 | Mississippi
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.94 percent
Poverty rate: 19.6 percent
Median household income: $45,792
Unemployment rate: 7.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 88.35
4 | West Virginia
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.60 percent
Poverty rate: 16 percent
Median household income: $48,850
Unemployment rate: 8.6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 93.58
3 | Louisiana
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 3.79 percent
Poverty rate: 19 percent
Median household income: $51,073
Unemployment rate: 8.1 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 95.04
2 | New Mexico
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 4.07 percent
Poverty rate: 18.2 percent
Median household income: $51,945
Unemployment rate: 9.4 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 103.1
1 | Nevada
ShutterstockPercentage of millionaires in the state: 5.13 percent
Poverty rate: 12.5 percent
Median household income: $63,276
Unemployment rate: 12.6 percent
Unsuccessful Score: 104.39
