Just pulled up some interesting salary data from a 2024 study, and the regional differences are wild. Turns out where you live makes a huge difference in what you're actually earning, even if you're doing the same job. The average individual income us varies so much state to state that it's almost like different economies. Gen X is pulling the highest salaries overall across the country, but that's not universal everywhere. Mississippi is rough though - all age groups there are hitting the lowest median income marks. Gen Z has the lowest earnings across the board, with West Virginia being particularly tough for young workers. On the flip side, Hawaii's crushing it for older workers, and states like Massachusetts, Maryland, and Connecticut are showing solid numbers for the 45-64 age bracket. Alaska's interesting too - people in their prime earning years (25-44) are making around 97k, which is solid. California and Colorado in that same age group are both over 99k. The average individual income us in the Northeast and West Coast states is noticeably higher than the South and Midwest, which tracks with cost of living. New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Washington state all have strong earner profiles across multiple age groups. If you're starting out (15-24), expect anywhere from 27k in West Virginia to 60k in Alaska - that's a massive gap for entry-level work. By the time you hit your peak years (45-64), you could be looking at 60k in Mississippi or 120k in Maryland depending on where you planted yourself. Curious how your state and age bracket stack up?