Check out how your state compares to the average amount Americans have saved for retirement.

In terms of retirement savings, Massachusetts residents are at the forefront.

According to an October study by DepositAccounts, the average household retirement savings balance in Massachusetts is $448,500, which is the largest amount among the states examined in the study.

To determine the average amount households in each state have saved for retirement, the personal finance site analyzed data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2022 Survey of Income and Program Participation, which includes balances of 401(k)s, IRAs, Keogh plans, and thrift savings plans.

According to a recent analysis by Empower, Massachusetts workers earn the highest average salaries in the U.S., which may contribute to the state's residents having the highest average balances.

Massachusetts launched a state-level program in 2017 to help workers outside of the corporate workforce grow their retirement savings. The CORE program assists small nonprofit organizations in offering 401(k) benefits to their employees. As of May, over 200 organizations were enrolled in the program, according to the state's website.

While Americans in Louisiana and Mississippi have the lowest average household retirement savings of $128,900 and $131,500, respectively, Florida, a popular retirement destination, ranks 19th with average savings of $287,200.

While averages can give a brief overview of retirement data, they may not always accurately represent the entire picture due to the influence of a few high or low account balances.

According to DepositAccounts, the average amounts households have saved for retirement vary by state. Unfortunately, no 2022 data was available for Alaska, Delaware, the District of Columbia, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, and Wyoming.

• Alabama: $165,500
• Arizona : $365,300
• Arkansas: $143,600
• California: $301,500
• Colorado: $321,200
• Connecticut: $351,800
• Florida: $287,200
• Georgia : $214,500
• Hawaii: $433,700
• Idaho: $190,600
• Illinois: $298,000
• Indiana: $190,700
• Iowa: $228,900
• Kansas  $316,600
• Kentucky: $278,800
• Louisiana: $128,900
• Maryland: $368,700
• Massachusetts: $448,500
• Michigan: $297,900
• Minnesota: $368,400
• Mississippi: $131,500
• Missouri: $203,800
• Montana: $270,900
• Nebraska: $251,100
• Nevada: $286,600
• New Jersey: $376,700
• New Mexico: $169,200
• New York: $275,700
• North Carolina: $294,400
• Ohio: $315,900
• Oklahoma: $222,900
• Oregon: $299,300
• Pennsylvania: $255,500
• South Carolina: $274,500
• Tennessee: $201,200
• Texas: $278,600
• Utah: $270,800
• Virginia: $307,600
• Washington: $330,900
• West Virginia: $174,200
• Wisconsin: $310,700

Focus on your savings rate to reach your retirement goals

While it's important to focus on growing your retirement account balance, it's equally important to pay attention to your retirement savings rate.

The recommended retirement savings rate by Fidelity Investments is 15%, which includes any employer match.

To reach your target savings rate, you can gradually increase your retirement contributions by 1% each year until you reach 15%.

"Climbing the steep mountain of saving for retirement may seem daunting, but taking small steps now can lead to significant progress later, as advised by Ann Dowd, vice president at Fidelity, in a July report."

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