In a recent study Alabama leads the nation in one encouraging statistic – personal financial responsibility.

Forbes Advisor studied 5,001 Americans on fiscal discipline recently, and used the results to rank the states. The survey looked at habits such as budgeting, saving, spending, credit cards, retirement accounts and financial goals, then compared the findings with data from the Federal Reserve.

Alabama placed at the top for most responsible, while Idaho ranked at the bottom.

That’s interesting when you consider that Alabama ranks near the bottom in median household income, tallying $53,913 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

So how did Alabama do it? According to Forbes Advisor, Alabamians rank first for residents who say they always follow their budget, at 82%. That’s better than the rest of the U.S. by far, as only 3 in 10 Americans say that.

Alabama also heads the pack in residents who always save a portion of their monthly income. The state ranks third in residents who regularly contribute to a 401(k) or IRA, and fifth for those who pay their credit card balances in full every month.

Alabama also had a top 10 finish for residents who have a budget in place.

Going against the good news is that Alabama also ranked first in residents who took out a payday loan in the last three years, with 62% answering yes. The state also placed fourth for residents who make small impulse purchases.

How did Alabama place so highly? Forbes Advisor points to the fact that Alabama is one of 19 states requiring students to take a one-semester career preparedness course with financial principles as part of it.

What else can we learn from the survey? According to Forbes Advisor, men are more likely than women, 47% to 37%, to have at least three to six months of expenses set aside in an emergency fund. And millennials are most likely to pay off their credit card balance in full each month by 66%, while members of Generation Z are most likely to make minimum payments or no payments at all, at 11%.