Median Household Income
Definition
The income level at which half of all households earn more and half earn less. It includes wages, salaries, Social Security, pensions, interest, dividends, and other income for all members of the household aged 15 and older.
Why It Matters
Median income is the gold standard measure of economic well-being because it is not skewed by extremely high earners the way average (mean) income is. It directly affects quality of life, housing affordability, and access to services.
How It's Measured
The Census Bureau asks survey respondents to report total household income from all sources over the past 12 months. The median is calculated from all reported values.
Current Value
US median: approximately $75,000
Related Ranking
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Frequently Asked Questions
The income level at which half of all households earn more and half earn less. It includes wages, salaries, Social Security, pensions, interest, dividends, and other income for all members of the household aged 15 and older.
Median income is the gold standard measure of economic well-being because it is not skewed by extremely high earners the way average (mean) income is. It directly affects quality of life, housing affordability, and access to services.
The Census Bureau asks survey respondents to report total household income from all sources over the past 12 months. The median is calculated from all reported values.
this entity is one of the U.S. population demographics concepts that recurs across this site. The definition above is the technical answer; the paragraphs below add the practical context for how the concept connects to the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files data behind every per-entity page on the site.
In the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files data, this concept shapes one or more of the fields that drive the per-entity grades and rankings on this site. The methodology page describes which fields feed into which output; this glossary entry documents the underlying term.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.