Title:               Real Median Household Income in the United States
Series ID:           MEHOINUSA672N
Source:              U.S. Bureau of the Census
Release:             Income and Poverty in the United States
Seasonal Adjustment: Not Seasonally Adjusted
Frequency:           Annual
Units:               2017 CPI-U-RS Adjusted Dollars
Date Range:          1984-01-01 to 2017-01-01
Last Updated:        2018-09-12 3:21 PM CDT
Notes:               Household data are collected as of March.
                     
                     As stated in the Census's "Source and Accuracy of Estimates for
                     Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States:
                     2011" (http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/p60_243sa.pdf)
                     
                     Estimation of Median Incomes. The Census Bureau has changed the
                     methodology for computing median income over time. The Census Bureau
                     has computed medians using either Pareto interpolation or linear
                     interpolation. Currently, we are using linear interpolation to
                     estimate all medians. Pareto interpolation assumes a decreasing
                     density of population within an income interval, whereas linear
                     interpolation assumes a constant density of population within an
                     income interval. The Census Bureau calculated estimates of median
                     income and associated standard errors for 1979 through 1987 using
                     Pareto interpolation if the estimate was larger than $20,000 for
                     people or $40,000 for families and households. This is because the
                     width of the income interval containing the estimate is greater than
                     $2,500.
                     
                     We calculated estimates of median income and associated standard
                     errors for 1976, 1977, and 1978 using Pareto interpolation if the
                     estimate was larger than $12,000 for people or $18,000 for families
                     and households. This is because the width of the income interval
                     containing the estimate is greater than $1,000. All other estimates of
                     median income and associated standard errors for 1976 through 2011
                     (2012 ASEC) and almost all of the estimates of median income and
                     associated standard errors for 1975 and earlier were calculated using
                     linear interpolation.
                     
                     Thus, use caution when comparing median incomes above $12,000 for
                     people or $18,000 for families and households for different years.
                     Median incomes below those levels are more comparable from year to
                     year since they have always been calculated using linear
                     interpolation. For an indication of the comparability of medians
                     calculated using Pareto interpolation with medians calculated using
                     linear interpolation, see Series P-60, Number 114, Money Income in
                     1976 of Families and Persons in the United States
                     (www2.census.gov/prod2/popscan/p60-114.pdf).

DATE        VALUE
1984-01-01  50511
1985-01-01  51455
1986-01-01  53309
1987-01-01  53945
1988-01-01  54390
1989-01-01  55329
1990-01-01  54621
1991-01-01  53025
1992-01-01  52615
1993-01-01  52334
1994-01-01  52942
1995-01-01  54600
1996-01-01  55394
1997-01-01  56533
1998-01-01  58612
1999-01-01  60062
2000-01-01  59938
2001-01-01  58609
2002-01-01  57947
2003-01-01  57875
2004-01-01  57674
2005-01-01  58291
2006-01-01  58746
2007-01-01  59534
2008-01-01  57412
2009-01-01  57010
2010-01-01  55520
2011-01-01  54673
2012-01-01  54569
2013-01-01  56479
2014-01-01  55613
2015-01-01  58476
2016-01-01  60309
2017-01-01  61372