The U.S. Census Bureau has released new data showing that real median household income in the United States was $83,730 in 2024, a figure not statistically different from the previous year’s estimate of $82,690. The official poverty rate declined by 0.4 percentage points to 10.6% in 2024, while the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) rate stood at 12.9%, also unchanged from last year.
These statistics are based on findings from three reports: “Income in the United States: 2024,” “Poverty in the United States: 2024,” and “Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2024.” The reports draw on data collected through the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), which is jointly sponsored by the Census Bureau and U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
According to the Census Bureau, “Median household income was $83,730 in 2024, not statistically different from the 2023 estimate of $82,690.” The agency also noted that between 2023 and 2024, median income increased by over five percent for Asian and Hispanic households but declined by more than three percent for Black households. There were no significant changes for White or White non-Hispanic households.
Income inequality as measured by the Gini index did not change significantly between these years. However, household income at the top tenth percentile rose by over four percent, while there was no significant change at lower percentiles.
For full-time, year-round workers, “median earnings increased 3.7% for men, but did not change significantly for women between 2023 and 2024.” The female-to-male earnings ratio dropped to 80.9% from 82.7%—the second consecutive annual decrease.
Post-tax measures showed a modest increase; “Median post-tax household income increased by 1.8% from $71,040 in 2023 to $72,330 in 2024.” Inequality calculated using post-tax income was almost nine percent lower than when using pretax figures.
The official poverty threshold for a family of four reached $32,130 in 2024 (https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-thresholds.html). In total numbers, “there were 35.9 million people in poverty in 2024,” with declines seen among White, Asian and Hispanic individuals but no significant change among other groups discussed.
The SPM offers an alternative way to measure economic well-being by accounting for government assistance programs and geographic cost differences but does not replace official metrics. According to the report: “Social Security continues to be the largest antipoverty program, moving 28.7 million individuals out of SPM poverty in 2024.”
Most Americans had health insurance coverage during some or all of last year; “In 2024, most people (92.0% or 310 million) had health insurance for some or all of the year.” Private health insurance remained more common than public coverage at rates of about two-thirds versus one-third respectively.
Employment-based insurance covered more than half of Americans during part or all of last year; Medicare covered just under one-fifth; Medicaid insured nearly eighteen percent; direct-purchase plans accounted for just over ten percent; TRICARE insured less than three percent; VA and CHAMPVA together covered slightly above one percent.
Between years, private coverage rates rose mainly due to increases in direct-purchase plans while public coverage fell because Medicaid enrollment dropped over one percentage point compared with last year.
Regional estimates are available within each respective report along with state-level tables using multi-year averages.
The CPS ASEC’s response rate remains below pre-pandemic levels—62% this year compared with nearly identical figures last year—which may introduce bias despite adjustments made through survey weighting methods designed to ensure representativeness.
All reported comparisons have been tested for statistical significance at a confidence level of ninety percent unless otherwise indicated.
