Income in the United States
Overview of the income in the United States of America
Overall median household income by state in 2018[1]
Income in the United States is measured by the various federal agencies including the Internal Revenue Service , Bureau of Labor Statistics , US Department of Commerce , and the US Census Bureau . Additionally, various agencies, including the Congressional Budget Office compile reports on income statistics. The primary classifications are by household or individual . The top quintile in personal income in 2019 was $103,012[2] (included in the chart below). The differences between household and personal income are considerable, since 61% of households now have two or more income earners.[3]
2020 median personal income, ages 15 years or older[4]
All workers
Full-time workers
All
Men
Women
Median personal income in 2020 was $56,287 for full time workers.[4]
This difference becomes very apparent when comparing the percentage of households with six figure incomes to that of individuals. Overall, including all households/individuals regardless of employment status, the median household income was $67,521 in 2020 while the median personal income (including individuals aged 15 and over) was $35,805.[5] [6]
While wages for women have increased greatly, median earnings of male wage earners have remained stagnant since the late 1970s.[7] [8] Household income, however, has risen due to the increasing number of households with more than one income earner and women's increased presence in the labor force .[9]
Income Percentiles 2019
Source:[2]
Inflation adjusted US Dollars - see IRS for further reading IRS.GOV income statistics
YEAR
0.001%
0.01%
0.10%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
10%
20%
25%
30%
40%
50%
2001
$31,331,335
$6,869,952
$1,393,718
$306,635
$207,592
$167,788
$145,667
$132,082
$96,151
$67,818
$59,026
$51,863
$40,293
$31,418
2002
$25,921,482
$5,891,214
$1,245,352
$296,194
$200,654
$164,409
$144,575
$130,750
$95,699
$67,928
$59,066
$51,721
$40,073
$31,299
2003
$28,489,160
$6,386,149
$1,317,088
$305,939
$205,565
$168,248
$147,132
$133,741
$97,470
$69,304
$59,896
$52,353
$40,383
$31,447
2004
$38,780,500
$8,455,107
$1,617,918
$339,993
$224,320
$181,127
$156,665
$140,758
$101,838
$72,069
$62,794
$54,765
$42,081
$32,622
2005
$50,796,495
$10,738,867
$1,938,175
$379,261
$245,392
$194,726
$167,281
$149,216
$106,864
$74,790
$64,821
$56,583
$43,361
$33,484
2006
$54,665,360
$11,649,460
$2,124,625
$402,603
$258,800
$205,835
$176,455
$157,390
$112,016
$77,776
$67,291
$58,505
$44,748
$34,417
2007
$62,955,875
$12,747,384
$2,251,017
$426,439
$270,440
$214,832
$184,473
$164,883
$116,396
$80,723
$69,559
$60,617
$46,200
$35,541
2008
$49,546,782
$10,097,827
$1,867,652
$392,513
$260,381
$209,750
$181,624
$163,512
$116,813
$80,886
$69,813
$60,535
$46,120
$35,340
2009
$34,381,494
$7,206,540
$1,469,393
$351,968
$243,096
$198,731
$174,432
$157,342
$114,181
$79,237
$68,216
$58,876
$44,529
$34,156
2010
$45,039,369
$8,762,618
$1,634,386
$369,691
$252,785
$205,942
$179,023
$161,579
$116,623
$80,462
$69,126
$59,512
$44,895
$34,338
YEAR
0.001%
0.01%
0.10%
1%
2%
3%
4%
5%
10%
20%
25%
30%
40%
50%
2011
$41,965,258
$8,830,028
$1,717,675
$388,905
$262,933
$213,441
$185,812
$167,728
$120,136
$82,241
$70,492
$60,789
$45,722
$34,823
2012
$62,068,187
$12,104,014
$2,161,175
$434,682
$285,908
$227,923
$196,416
$175,817
$125,195
$85,440
$73,354
$63,222
$47,475
$36,055
2013
$45,097,112
$9,460,540
$1,860,848
$428,713
$287,018
$231,507
$200,472
$179,760
$127,695
$87,434
$74,955
$64,650
$48,463
$36,841
2014
$56,981,718
$11,407,987
$2,136,762
$465,626
$306,650
$245,902
$211,261
$188,996
$133,445
$90,606
$77,714
$66,868
$50,083
$38,173
2015
$59,380,503
$11,930,649
$2,220,264
$480,930
$316,913
$253,979
$218,911
$195,778
$138,031
$93,212
$79,655
$68,632
$51,571
$39,275
2016
$53,052,900
$10,963,921
$2,124,117
$480,804
$319,796
$256,673
$221,381
$197,651
$139,713
$94,620
$80,921
$69,581
$52,529
$40,078
2017
$63,430,119
$12,899,070
$2,374,937
$515,371
$339,478
$271,182
$232,955
$208,053
$145,135
$97,870
$83,682
$72,268
$54,672
$41,740
2018
$68,934,261
$13,576,286
$2,514,209
$540,009
$359,368
$286,106
$245,050
$217,913
$151,935
$101,765
$87,044
$75,083
$57,092
$43,614
2019
$60,658,598
$12,623,539
$2,458,432
$546,434
$364,693
$291,384
$249,320
$221,572
$154,589
$103,012
$87,917
$75,991
$57,685
$44,269
Income at a glance
Median household income by selected characteristics [10]
Type of household
Race and Hispanic origin
Region
All households
Family households
Nonfamily households
Asian
Non-Hispanic White
Hispanic (of any race)
Black
Northeast
Midwest
South
West
$70,784
$91,162
$41,797
$101,418
$77,999
$57,981
$48,297
$77,422
$71,129
$63,368
$79,430
Median household income by selected characteristics cont.
Age of Householder
Nativity of Householder
Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) Status
Educational Attainment of Householder*
Under 65 years
65 years and older
Native-born
Foreign-born
Inside MSA
Outside MSA
No high school diploma
High school, no college
Some college
Bachelor's degree or higher
$80,734
$47,620
$71,522
$66,043
$73,823
$53,750
$30,378
$50,401
$64,378
$115,456
*Householders aged 25 and older. In 2021, the median household income for this group was $72,046.
Median earnings by work status and sex (Persons, aged 15 years and older with earnings)
Total workers
Full-Time, year-round workers
Both sexes
Male
Female
Both sexes
Male
Female
$45,470
$50,983
$39,201
$56,473
$61,180
$51,226
2020 Median earnings & household income by educational attainment [11] [12]
Measure
Overall
Less than 9th grade
Some High School
High school graduate
Some college
Associate's degree
Bachelor's degree or higher
Bachelor's degree
Master's degree
Professional degree
Doctorate degree
Persons, age 25+ w/ earnings*
$46,985
$25,162
$26,092
$34,540
$39,362
$42,391
$66,423
$60,705
$71,851
$102,741
$101,526
Male, age 25+ w/ earnings*
$52,298
$30,089
$31,097
$40,852
$47,706
$52,450
$80,192
$71,666
$91,141
$126,584
$121,956
Female, age 25+ w/ earnings*
$40,392
$18,588
$19,504
$27,320
$31,837
$36,298
$57,355
$51,154
$62,522
$92,780
$85,551
Persons, age 25+, employed full-time
$59,371
$33,945
$34,897
$42,417
$50,640
$52,285
$77,105
$71,283
$82,183
$130,466
$119,552
Household
$69,228
$29,609
$29,520
$47,405
$60,392
$68,769
$106,936
$100,128
$114,900
$151,560
$142,493
*Total work experience
Household income distribution
10th percentile
20th percentile
30th percentile
40th percentile
50th percentile
60th percentile
70th percentile
80th percentile
90th percentile
95th percentile
≤ $15,700
≤ $28,000
≤ $40,500
≤ $55,000
$70,800
≤ $89,700
≤ $113,200
≤ $149,100
≤ $212,100
≤ $286,300
Source: US Census Bureau, 2021; income statistics for the year 2021
See also
References
Further reading
INCOME STATISTICS AT IRS.GOV
External links
Links to related articles
Income in North America
Sovereign states Dependencies and other territories