California Owns the West Coast’s Highest Median Income but Slips to 13th Nationally as Costs Bite

California boasts the highest median income on the West Coast, yet a thin lower-earning tier and punishing living costs dropped it to 13th nationally, nine spots behind regional leader Washington, according to a WalletHub study released June 2, 2026. The Golden State earned a total score of 53.45 in the analysis, which ranked the 50 […]