---
title: 'Best and Worst States for Net Worth'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=ac8qkFsK2xE'
video_id: 'ac8qkFsK2xE'
date: 2026-08-05
duration_sec: 84
---

# Best and Worst States for Net Worth

> Source: [Best and Worst States for Net Worth](https://youtube.com/watch?v=ac8qkFsK2xE)

## Summary

The video analyzes median net worth across US states, highlighting that southern states like Kentucky, Louisiana, and Arkansas have low net worth due to lower real estate values. It contrasts these with top states like Hawaii, Washington, and Massachusetts, where high home equity inflates net worth. The key insight is that states with lower cost of living and solid job markets, such as Nebraska, Maine, and Idaho, offer better opportunities for growing net worth.

### Key Points

- **Low Net Worth States** [00:01] — Southern states like Kentucky, Louisiana, and Arkansas have low median net worth, largely because real estate values are lower, and net worth is heavily comprised of home values.
- **National Median Net Worth** [00:13] — The national median net worth is around $201,000. If your state is below this, you might consider moving to a top 10 state.
- **Top 10 States** [00:26] — Hawaii leads with almost $700,000 median net worth, followed by Washington, Massachusetts, and also Idaho, Nebraska, and Maine.
- **Hawaii's Wealth is Home Equity** [00:39] — In Hawaii, net worth is mostly home equity, with a median home equity of $600,000. This means wealth is locked up in the house, not liquid.
- **Selection Bias in Hawaii** [00:51] — Hawaii's high net worth filters out those without money, acting as selection bias. It's not a place to grow wealth if you don't already have it.
- **Best States for Growing Net Worth** [01:05] — States like Nebraska, Maine, and Idaho are better for growing net worth because they have lower cost of living but solid job markets, allowing you to keep more of your income.
- **Key to Growing Net Worth** [01:17] — The gap between income and expenses is where you can grow net worth. In states with lower cost of living and solid job markets, this gap is larger.

### Conclusion

The video suggests that to grow net worth, focus on states with lower cost of living and solid job markets, where the income-expense gap is favorable, rather than states with high home equity that lock up wealth.

## Transcript

median net worth. And as you can see, we have a lot of states that are in the south like Kentucky, Louisiana, and Arkansas. And a huge reason for these low numbers is that the real estate values in these states are a lot lower,
worth is going to be comprised of real estate and home values. Now, across the country, the median net worth sits at around $201,000. So, if you're below that and you see your state on this list, you might be
move instead to one of the top 10 states. Here are those top 10 states, by the way. You can see Hawaii leads the pack at almost $700,000 in median net worth, followed by Washington, Massachusetts, and even states like
Idaho, Nebraska, and Maine are in the top 10. Now, in Hawaii, a lot of the net worth is comprised of home equity at a $600,000 median home equity. So, people in Hawaii are technically the wealthiest in America, but most of that wealth is
going to be locked up in a house. So, if you moved to Hawaii, it's not like you lot of the wealth is built into the house. And so, if anything, Hawaii is filters out anyone that doesn't have money already. It's kind of like
selection bias. But, some of these top states like Nebraska, Maine, and Idaho, move to and start to grow your net worth because it's really about how much you get to keep. And in these states where the cost of living is a little bit on
the lower end, but the job market is still solid, the gap between your income and your expenses is where you can really grow that net worth.