Connecticut has some of the lowest poverty rates in the nation and as a whole, most of Connecticut is doing quite well. Only 9.8% of residents live in poverty, which is much lower than many other states such as Mississippi and New Mexico. However, Connecticut cities have been struggling for decades with poverty. Often, Connecticut is viewed as an abnormally wealthy state due to the opulent wealth of Fairfield County and the "Gold Coast," including towns such as Darien and New Canaan, with mean household incomes of over 300,000. But this is a fallacy, as most of the state lives relative middle-class incomes, with some areas, such as Hartford and Windham, being in poverty.