Economy Explainer
Median household income rose to a record $87,460 in 2025: what the Census report shows
Real median household income rose 2.6% in 2025, the Census Bureau found, while income at the bottom did not change significantly. What the figures measure.
What it means for you
- Half of U.S. households had more than $87,460 in pretax money income in 2025, and half had less. After inflation, that was 2.6% more than in 2024.
- Income at the 90th percentile rose 1.7% to $261,300. The change at the 10th percentile, $20,010, was not statistically significant.
- After federal and state taxes and credits, the median was $76,060, up 3.1% from 2024.
- Women working full time, year-round earned a median $60,760 in 2025, 83.9% of men's $72,380, up from 80.6% in 2024.
- For a state's own figure, the Census Bureau points to the American Community Survey, whose 2025 one-year estimates came out on October 29, 2026.