West Virginia is among the poorest states in the nation, with a median household income of just under $40,000, about $13,000 less than the national median. Compared to its neighboring states, its median household income is more than $20,000 less than that of Virginia and more than $30,000 less than Maryland. Coal mining jobs in West Virginia are some of the highest paying jobs in the state, at more than twice the average wage of all industries, but due to the Obama Administration’s regulations, these jobs are imperiled.