Median Household Income Hits Record $87,460
Median Household Income Hits Record $87,460
The News
Median US household income rose 2.6% to a record high of $87,460 in 2025, the Census Bureau said Tuesday in its annual report on income and poverty.
The same report put the national poverty rate at 10.2%, down slightly from the year before, according to Reuters.
2025 was the first year of President Donald Trump's second term. CNN reported the record income figure lands even as Americans say they feel an affordability pinch.
The Numbers
$87,460 — median household income in 2025, the highest on record.
2.6% — the increase over the prior year.
10.2% — the poverty rate in 2025, which edged down.
Timeline
The calendar year covered by the Census Bureau's income and poverty data, and the first year of Trump's second term.
The Census Bureau releases its annual report on income and poverty in the United States for 2025, showing median household income at a record $87,460 and the poverty rate at 10.2%.
Reactions
Coverage split on emphasis rather than on the numbers. The Washington Examiner led with the record income figure itself. Reuters framed the release around the poverty rate edging down alongside the record median income.
CNN emphasized the gap between the data and how people say they feel, reporting that incomes hit their highest level on record "even as Americans feel affordability pinch."
What's Next
The Census Bureau's income and poverty report is an annual release, so the next update will cover 2026. Expect both parties to fold Tuesday's figures into the argument over whether the economy is working for households — the White House pointing to the record, critics pointing to what a dollar buys.
Poll
Does a record median household income match what you see in your own budget?
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