Median US Household Income Rises Slightly to $83.7K

[Andy C]

The income for the typical U.S. household barely rose last year and essentially matched its 2019 peak, the Census Bureau said Tuesday, a stark illustration of the impact that the pandemic inflation spike had on Americans' finances.

The report also showed that the highest-earning households received healthy inflation-adjusted income increases, while middle- and lower-income households saw little gain.

Median household income, adjusted for inflation, in 2024 was $83,730, the Census Bureau said, a 1.3% increase from the previous year's level of $82,690. The median is the midpoint between the highest- and lowest-income households, and helps filter out the impact of very high and very low incomes that can skew averages.


The figures help illustrate why many Americans have been dissatisfied with the economy since the pandemic, even as unemployment has been historically low: Median household incomes are essentially unchanged from five years earlier, the report showed. Median household income was $83,260 in 2019, the report said, and the slightly higher figure for 2024 is within the margin of error and therefore reflects little change from five years earlier, Census officials said.

https://www.newsmax.com/finance/streettalk/income-inflation-economy/2025/09/09/id/1225712/

 

[Baby Yoda]

These numbers are used a lot in determining borrower eligibility for state and county assisted (home purchase) down payment programs.

 

[Tall Timbers]

In a lot of markets these days it would be hard to live on 90K a year. I never had that much earned income... of course I haven't had earned income since 2002 and the US dollar is worth significantly less today than it was then. It seems like a big number but if a household with that for income wanted to buy a home, in most markets I think you'd be looking at a fixer upper.

 

[Baby Yoda]

The housing finance agencies offer assistance for modest homes, for sure.

 

[dwb]

With the average house payment of over $2000 a month, if a family makes the average income of $83000 that leaves about $4900 left for other bills. For a family of 4 that would be hard to manage. Estimated monthly bills below:

Car(s)- $1500
Groceries- $1000
Utilities-power/gas/water/tv & internet $1500
Clothing $100 a very low est
Gas- $600
Insurance- $300
Other- $400
Total= $6400 which means a negative $1500 per month. These expenses will most likely be different in different areas, but close. You can cut out some here and there and squeeze by for some months, but an emergency or two means trouble. When my kids were young we just barely made it, usually we were in the red each month.

 

[Tall Timbers]

With the average house payment of over $2000 a month, if a family makes the average income of $83000 that leaves about $4900 left for other bills. For a family of 4 that would be hard to manage. Estimated monthly bills below:

Income taxes will take out a chunk too.