mysql less than not working

I have a website where users enter sql queries to get financial data. If a user types the following query in to the search bar it returns 0 results.

SELECT * FROM finance WHERE income < 1000

All other queries work, for example:

SELECT * FROM finance WHERE income = 192 INSERT INTO finance (income,outgoings) VALUES ('192','192')

It is only less than or greater than that are not returning anything.

Any suggestions as to where I am going wrong please?