United States · Bankruptcy · Means test
Bankruptcy median income by state.
The median family income table the means test uses, for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026, with a comparison of your current monthly income to your state’s figure.
Short answer: For bankruptcy cases filed on or after July 15, 2026, the US Trustee Program’s median family income table (Census Bureau data) gives, for one earner, $79,253 in California, $66,837 in Texas, $69,876 in Florida and $73,272 in New York; for four people, $139,071, $117,962, $114,761 and $139,040. Add $11,100 for each individual in excess of four. The highest one-earner figure is $88,585 (Washington) and the lowest among the states is $53,978 (Mississippi). On Form 122A-1, income at or below the median means the presumption of abuse does not arise.
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Result
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Median family income by state, cases filed on or after July 15, 2026
The US Trustee Program publishes this table for the means test. The column headings on its page are 1 Earner, 2 People, 3 People and 4 People, with the note: add $11,100 for each individual in excess of 4. Territories follow the states.
| State | 1 earner | 2 people | 3 people | 4 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $64,321 | $77,451 | $92,698 | $106,740 |
| Alaska | $85,817 | $112,548 | $112,548 | $142,136 |
| Arizona | $73,935 | $89,027 | $104,965 | $121,174 |
| Arkansas | $58,421 | $73,630 | $82,329 | $97,054 |
| California | $79,253 | $102,797 | $116,541 | $139,071 |
| Colorado | $87,940 | $109,497 | $130,850 | $153,501 |
| Connecticut | $84,302 | $106,224 | $134,470 | $159,934 |
| Delaware | $69,515 | $94,877 | $111,273 | $132,244 |
| District of Columbia | $85,391 | $161,397 | $161,397 | $166,598 |
| Florida | $69,876 | $86,523 | $97,540 | $114,761 |
| Georgia | $68,478 | $84,965 | $101,479 | $123,481 |
| Hawaii | $85,254 | $106,202 | $123,454 | $142,181 |
| Idaho | $73,413 | $86,160 | $98,381 | $119,662 |
| Illinois | $73,180 | $93,934 | $113,625 | $137,902 |
| Indiana | $64,461 | $81,986 | $95,627 | $115,656 |
| Iowa | $67,617 | $88,800 | $104,133 | $126,058 |
| Kansas | $69,197 | $87,441 | $103,852 | $125,971 |
| Kentucky | $61,652 | $73,892 | $85,212 | $109,443 |
| Louisiana | $59,447 | $72,348 | $84,602 | $103,628 |
| Maine | $75,892 | $90,445 | $106,822 | $131,577 |
| Maryland | $86,928 | $114,611 | $135,949 | $166,173 |
| Massachusetts | $88,202 | $112,708 | $139,411 | $178,524 |
| Michigan | $67,352 | $83,432 | $103,449 | $123,010 |
| Minnesota | $77,696 | $98,328 | $126,487 | $149,882 |
| Mississippi | $53,978 | $70,328 | $82,846 | $97,464 |
| Missouri | $64,972 | $82,075 | $100,228 | $118,530 |
| Montana | $71,310 | $91,452 | $103,285 | $121,698 |
| Nebraska | $66,922 | $90,728 | $103,405 | $125,074 |
| Nevada | $72,222 | $87,914 | $101,638 | $114,110 |
| New Hampshire | $87,287 | $109,324 | $141,531 | $155,203 |
| New Jersey | $87,173 | $106,876 | $137,136 | $168,127 |
| New Mexico | $66,235 | $79,574 | $88,041 | $98,602 |
| New York | $73,272 | $92,902 | $115,579 | $139,040 |
| North Carolina | $67,117 | $84,384 | $101,535 | $116,737 |
| North Dakota | $73,549 | $96,352 | $106,686 | $137,817 |
| Ohio | $66,239 | $83,725 | $102,504 | $123,702 |
| Oklahoma | $61,180 | $77,208 | $86,845 | $101,798 |
| Oregon | $79,089 | $93,670 | $116,729 | $140,024 |
| Pennsylvania | $72,230 | $87,534 | $110,151 | $135,862 |
| Rhode Island | $77,653 | $98,736 | $119,419 | $137,479 |
| South Carolina | $64,808 | $83,761 | $95,672 | $116,314 |
| South Dakota | $69,190 | $89,809 | $100,883 | $130,738 |
| Tennessee | $63,979 | $82,846 | $97,511 | $109,585 |
| Texas | $66,837 | $86,714 | $99,273 | $117,962 |
| Utah | $87,898 | $95,757 | $112,751 | $131,741 |
| Vermont | $72,461 | $96,963 | $114,075 | $137,583 |
| Virginia | $78,491 | $101,171 | $123,159 | $144,826 |
| Washington | $88,585 | $107,100 | $131,737 | $156,567 |
| West Virginia | $63,908 | $68,592 | $92,050 | $93,672 |
| Wisconsin | $71,168 | $90,252 | $108,516 | $133,384 |
| Wyoming | $71,745 | $91,502 | $98,476 | $110,297 |
| Guam | $53,859 | $64,399 | $73,385 | $88,805 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | $36,168 | $36,168 | $42,080 | $61,891 |
| Puerto Rico | $30,665 | $30,665 | $40,976 | $50,543 |
| Virgin Islands | $42,734 | $51,360 | $54,760 | $59,995 |
How the median test works
Form 122A-1, the Chapter 7 Statement of Your Current Monthly Income, has you average your gross income over the six full calendar months before you file, multiply by 12 and compare it with the median for your state and household size. At or below the median, the presumption of abuse does not arise and you do not complete Form 122A-2. Above the median, you complete Form 122A-2, the full means test, which deducts allowed living expenses under IRS and local standards to see whether enough income remains to pay creditors. The median table therefore decides which form you fill in, not whether you may file.
Why the date on the table matters
The US Trustee Program updates the table when new Census data arrives (recent updates have taken effect on April 1 and November 1) and applies a multiplier change in mid-July, which is why this table is labelled for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026. The figure that applies to you is the one in force on the day your petition is filed. If you are near the line, a filing date on one side or the other of an update can change the outcome.
Worked examples
A single filer in Texas averaging $5,200.00 a month over the six months before filing has $62,400 a year of current monthly income. The Texas one-earner median is $66,837, so the income is at or below the median by $4,437 and the presumption of abuse does not arise.
A family of five in Alabama with $10,000.00 a month: the four-person figure of $106,740 plus $11,100 gives a five-person median of $117,840. Their $120,000 a year is above it by $2,160, so Form 122A-2 would be completed next.
Method
The table was read from the US Trustee Program page for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026 on November 11, 2026. The tool multiplies the monthly income you enter by 12, picks your state’s figure for your household size (adding $11,100 for each person above four) and reports whether the yearly figure is at or below the median. It does not define current monthly income for you, count your household, or run the Form 122A-2 expense deductions.
What this does not cover
- Who counts in the household and what income is included, which the form instructions set out.
- The IRS National Standards and local housing and utility standards used on Form 122A-2.
- Chapter 13, where the same medians set the applicable commitment period.
- Exemptions from the means test, such as debts that are primarily not consumer debts and certain disabled veterans.
Figures read from the sources below on November 11, 2026. Last updated November 11, 2026.
Sources
- US Trustee Program: Census Bureau Median Family Income by Family Size (cases filed on or after July 15, 2026) (retrieved November 11, 2026)
Common mix-ups
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Often assumedThere is one bankruptcy income limit for the whole country.
What the source saysThe US Trustee Program table lists a median for each state and family size, from $30,665 for one earner in Puerto Rico to $88,585 in Washington. [1]
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Often assumedThe median is a yearly cap: earn more and you cannot file Chapter 7.
What the source saysThe table is used on Form 122A-1 to decide whether the presumption of abuse arises; above the median, Form 122A-2 deducts allowed expenses before any conclusion. [1]
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Often assumedLarge households use the 4-person figure.
What the source saysThe table says to add $11,100 for each individual in excess of 4. [1]
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Often assumedThe figures are fixed for the calendar year.
What the source saysThe table is labelled for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026; the Trustee Program publishes a new table when Census data or multipliers change. [1]
Checked against these sources on .
Frequently asked questions
What is the bankruptcy median income for one person?
It depends on the state. For cases filed on or after July 15, 2026, examples are California $79,253, Texas $66,837, Florida $69,876 and New York $73,272.
What is the median income for a family of 4 in the means test?
For example California $139,071, Texas $117,962, Florida $114,761 and New York $139,040, from the US Trustee Program table.
How is the median adjusted for households above 4?
Add $11,100 for each individual in excess of 4, per the table.
What happens if my income is below the median?
On Form 122A-1 the presumption of abuse does not arise and Form 122A-2 is not completed.
What happens if my income is above the median?
You complete Form 122A-2, which deducts allowed expenses to see whether the presumption of abuse applies.
Which date decides which table applies?
The date the bankruptcy petition is filed. This table is for cases filed on or after July 15, 2026.
Which state has the highest and lowest median?
Among the states, Washington has the highest one-earner figure at $88,585 and Mississippi the lowest at $53,978; Puerto Rico is lower at $30,665.
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No. The comparison runs in your browser.
Not financial or legal advice
This page is general information from an unofficial guide, not legal or financial advice, and it does not say whether you may file for bankruptcy or under which chapter. The figures are the US Trustee Program’s published medians on the date shown. Talk to a licensed bankruptcy attorney or the court clerk before you file. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. It runs in your browser.