Median Household Income Price History
1967–2025 · U.S. Census Bureau
Median household income is the single best measure of how the "typical" American family is doing financially. It splits all U.S. households right down the middle — half earn more, half earn less — which makes it far more useful than averages that get skewed by billionaires at the top. Since the Census Bureau started tracking it in 1967, this number has been the go-to benchmark for politicians, economists, and anyone trying to figure out whether ordinary people are actually getting ahead or just treading water.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau1967–2025
Price in 1967
$7,143.00
Price in 2025
$84,000.00
Total Change
+1076.0%
Years Tracked
58
Median Household Income Over Time
1967Year Range2025
Compare to inflation: The chart above shows nominal (not inflation-adjusted) prices. Use the toggle to switch to inflation-adjusted values when available, or try the inflation calculator to convert any amount between years.
Key Insights
- Median household income roughly doubled in nominal terms from $7,143 in 1967 to $17,710 by 1980, but most of that "growth" was eaten alive by the brutal inflation of the 1970s.
- The period from 2000 to 2015 was essentially a lost decade and a half — income went from $41,990 to just $56,516, barely outpacing inflation after the dot-com bust, the housing crash, and a painfully slow recovery.
- The late 2010s saw a genuine breakout, with median income jumping from $59,039 in 2016 to $68,703 in 2019 — one of the strongest three-year stretches on record for middle-class paychecks.
- By 2023, median household income hit $80,610, roughly double the 2000 level in nominal terms — but after adjusting for inflation, real gains over those 23 years were far more modest.
Year-by-Year Data
| Year | Price (USD per year) | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | $7,143.00 | — |
| 1968 | $7,743.00 | +8.4% |
| 1969 | $8,389.00 | +8.3% |
| 1970 | $8,734.00 | +4.1% |
| 1971 | $9,028.00 | +3.4% |
| 1972 | $9,697.00 | +7.4% |
| 1973 | $10,512.00 | +8.4% |
| 1974 | $11,197.00 | +6.5% |
| 1975 | $11,800.00 | +5.4% |
| 1976 | $12,686.00 | +7.5% |
| 1977 | $13,572.00 | +7.0% |
| 1978 | $15,064.00 | +11.0% |
| 1979 | $16,461.00 | +9.3% |
| 1980 | $17,710.00 | +7.6% |
| 1981 | $19,074.00 | +7.7% |
| 1982 | $20,171.00 | +5.8% |
| 1983 | $20,885.00 | +3.5% |
| 1984 | $22,415.00 | +7.3% |
| 1985 | $23,618.00 | +5.4% |
| 1986 | $24,897.00 | +5.4% |
| 1987 | $26,061.00 | +4.7% |
| 1988 | $27,225.00 | +4.5% |
| 1989 | $28,906.00 | +6.2% |
| 1990 | $29,943.00 | +3.6% |
| 1991 | $30,126.00 | +0.6% |
| 1992 | $30,636.00 | +1.7% |
| 1993 | $31,241.00 | +2.0% |
| 1994 | $32,264.00 | +3.3% |
| 1995 | $34,076.00 | +5.6% |
| 1996 | $35,492.00 | +4.2% |
| 1997 | $37,005.00 | +4.3% |
| 1998 | $38,885.00 | +5.1% |
| 1999 | $40,696.00 | +4.7% |
| 2000 | $41,990.00 | +3.2% |
| 2001 | $42,228.00 | +0.6% |
| 2002 | $42,409.00 | +0.4% |
| 2003 | $43,318.00 | +2.1% |
| 2004 | $44,334.00 | +2.3% |
| 2005 | $46,326.00 | +4.5% |
| 2006 | $48,201.00 | +4.0% |
| 2007 | $50,233.00 | +4.2% |
| 2008 | $50,303.00 | +0.1% |
| 2009 | $49,777.00 | -1.0% |
| 2010 | $49,276.00 | -1.0% |
| 2011 | $49,103.00 | -0.4% |
| 2012 | $51,017.00 | +3.9% |
| 2013 | $51,939.00 | +1.8% |
| 2014 | $53,657.00 | +3.3% |
| 2015 | $56,516.00 | +5.3% |
| 2016 | $59,039.00 | +4.5% |
| 2017 | $61,372.00 | +4.0% |
| 2018 | $63,179.00 | +2.9% |
| 2019 | $68,703.00 | +8.7% |
| 2020 | $67,521.00 | -1.7% |
| 2021 | $70,784.00 | +4.8% |
| 2022 | $74,580.00 | +5.4% |
| 2023 | $80,610.00 | +8.1% |
| 2024 | $82,500.00 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | $84,000.00 | +1.8% |
Year1967
Price (USD per year)$7,143.00
YoY Change—
Year1968
Price (USD per year)$7,743.00
YoY Change+8.4%
Year1969
Price (USD per year)$8,389.00
YoY Change+8.3%
Year1970
Price (USD per year)$8,734.00
YoY Change+4.1%
Year1971
Price (USD per year)$9,028.00
YoY Change+3.4%
Year1972
Price (USD per year)$9,697.00
YoY Change+7.4%
Year1973
Price (USD per year)$10,512.00
YoY Change+8.4%
Year1974
Price (USD per year)$11,197.00
YoY Change+6.5%
Year1975
Price (USD per year)$11,800.00
YoY Change+5.4%
Year1976
Price (USD per year)$12,686.00
YoY Change+7.5%
Year1977
Price (USD per year)$13,572.00
YoY Change+7.0%
Year1978
Price (USD per year)$15,064.00
YoY Change+11.0%
Year1979
Price (USD per year)$16,461.00
YoY Change+9.3%
Year1980
Price (USD per year)$17,710.00
YoY Change+7.6%
Year1981
Price (USD per year)$19,074.00
YoY Change+7.7%
Year1982
Price (USD per year)$20,171.00
YoY Change+5.8%
Year1983
Price (USD per year)$20,885.00
YoY Change+3.5%
Year1984
Price (USD per year)$22,415.00
YoY Change+7.3%
Year1985
Price (USD per year)$23,618.00
YoY Change+5.4%
Year1986
Price (USD per year)$24,897.00
YoY Change+5.4%
Year1987
Price (USD per year)$26,061.00
YoY Change+4.7%
Year1988
Price (USD per year)$27,225.00
YoY Change+4.5%
Year1989
Price (USD per year)$28,906.00
YoY Change+6.2%
Year1990
Price (USD per year)$29,943.00
YoY Change+3.6%
Year1991
Price (USD per year)$30,126.00
YoY Change+0.6%
Year1992
Price (USD per year)$30,636.00
YoY Change+1.7%
Year1993
Price (USD per year)$31,241.00
YoY Change+2.0%
Year1994
Price (USD per year)$32,264.00
YoY Change+3.3%
Year1995
Price (USD per year)$34,076.00
YoY Change+5.6%
Year1996
Price (USD per year)$35,492.00
YoY Change+4.2%
Year1997
Price (USD per year)$37,005.00
YoY Change+4.3%
Year1998
Price (USD per year)$38,885.00
YoY Change+5.1%
Year1999
Price (USD per year)$40,696.00
YoY Change+4.7%
Year2000
Price (USD per year)$41,990.00
YoY Change+3.2%
Year2001
Price (USD per year)$42,228.00
YoY Change+0.6%
Year2002
Price (USD per year)$42,409.00
YoY Change+0.4%
Year2003
Price (USD per year)$43,318.00
YoY Change+2.1%
Year2004
Price (USD per year)$44,334.00
YoY Change+2.3%
Year2005
Price (USD per year)$46,326.00
YoY Change+4.5%
Year2006
Price (USD per year)$48,201.00
YoY Change+4.0%
Year2007
Price (USD per year)$50,233.00
YoY Change+4.2%
Year2008
Price (USD per year)$50,303.00
YoY Change+0.1%
Year2009
Price (USD per year)$49,777.00
YoY Change-1.0%
Year2010
Price (USD per year)$49,276.00
YoY Change-1.0%
Year2011
Price (USD per year)$49,103.00
YoY Change-0.4%
Year2012
Price (USD per year)$51,017.00
YoY Change+3.9%
Year2013
Price (USD per year)$51,939.00
YoY Change+1.8%
Year2014
Price (USD per year)$53,657.00
YoY Change+3.3%
Year2015
Price (USD per year)$56,516.00
YoY Change+5.3%
Year2016
Price (USD per year)$59,039.00
YoY Change+4.5%
Year2017
Price (USD per year)$61,372.00
YoY Change+4.0%
Year2018
Price (USD per year)$63,179.00
YoY Change+2.9%
Year2019
Price (USD per year)$68,703.00
YoY Change+8.7%
Year2020
Price (USD per year)$67,521.00
YoY Change-1.7%
Year2021
Price (USD per year)$70,784.00
YoY Change+4.8%
Year2022
Price (USD per year)$74,580.00
YoY Change+5.4%
Year2023
Price (USD per year)$80,610.00
YoY Change+8.1%
Year2024
Price (USD per year)$82,500.00
YoY Change+2.3%
Year2025
Price (USD per year)$84,000.00
YoY Change+1.8%
Sources & Methodology
Census Bureau Current Population Survey (CPS) Annual Social and Economic Supplement. Median income of all households. 2024-2025 estimates based on CPS preliminary data and BLS wage growth.
Primary source: U.S. Census Bureau
For a full explanation of how we collect and adjust data, see our methodology page.