See If Your Household Income Beats the US Median

American paychecks hit a new high last year, but the gains didn't trickle out evenly. A Census Bureau report says median household income climbed to a record $87,460 in 2025, a rise of 2.6% from 2024 when adjusted for inflation, reports the Wall Street Journal. "This is a signal that the economy may be finally finding its groove coming out of the pandemic," says economist Shannon Grein of Wells Fargo. Among the stats:

• High earners pulled further ahead: Income at the 90th percentile was 13.1 times that of the 10th percentile, up from 12.2 a decade ago.

• Women made progress. Full-time female workers earned about 84 cents for every dollar men made, up from 81 cents, helped by rapid hiring in health care.
• Black-led households saw the biggest income jump among racial groups at 4.8%. White households rose 3%, per the Hill. However, Black households still trail all other racial groups at $59,980.
• Poverty was essentially unchanged by a broad measure, but the official rate dipped to 10.2%, even as participation in food assistance programs fell.
• "Median" income reflects the midpoint where half of households have higher income and half have lower income.