Median US income rises to highest on record even as Americans feel affordability pinch

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Americans’ median household income rose 2.6% or $87,460, in 2025, the first year of President Donald Trump’s second term, according to Census Bureau data released on Tuesday.

This is the highest household income, which is adjusted for inflation, since the agency started measuring it in 1967.

Meanwhile, the poverty rate dipped by half a percentage point to 10.2%, and the uninsured rate stayed essentially the same at 7.9%. The poverty rate for children fell a percentage point to 13.4%, the lowest on record.

However, median earnings for full-time year-round workers did not change significantly in 2025, although women saw an increase in earnings of 3.2%.

The annual Census report, an important measure of Americans’ economic well-being, is notable because Trump has repeatedly claimed that the country is doing far better under his leadership than under his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

“This has been the most successful two years financially and every other way in the history of the presidency,” Trump said at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.

Despite the increase in income, many Americans are feeling financially squeezed as prices for groceries, utilities, housing costs and other essentials remain stubbornly high. Both Republicans and Democrats have acknowledged that America is suffering from an affordability crisis .

Median income barely rose during the Biden administration, which had to contend with the aftermath of the economic upheaval wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic and a period of soaring inflation. Median household income did not return to its inflation-adjusted pre-pandemic peak until 2023 and remained essentially flat during Biden’s last year in office.

Notably, the Census’ median income figure does not include capital gains from stocks, which typically benefit higher-earning Americans. Those who have the means to invest have seen their wealth accumulate in recent years. The S&P 500 rose 16.39% in 2025, its third consecutive year of double-digit gains.

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根据美国人口普查局周二公布的数据，到2025年，也就是唐纳德·特朗普总统第二个任期的第一年，美国家庭收入中位数增长了2.6%，即87460美元。

这是自该机构 1967 年开始测量家庭收入以来，经通货膨胀调整后的最高家庭收入。

与此同时，贫困率下降了0.5个百分点，至10.2%，无保险率基本保持不变，为7.9%。儿童贫困率下降了1个百分点，至13.4%，为历史最低水平。

然而，2025 年全职全年工作者的收入中位数并没有发生显著变化，尽管女性的收入增长了 3.2%。

年度人口普查报告是衡量美国人经济状况的重要指标，值得注意的是，特朗普一再声称，在他的领导下，美国的情况比他的前任、前总统乔·拜登领导下要好得多。

特朗普周三在共和党全国代表大会上表示：“无论从财政方面还是其他方面来看，这都是总统任期内最成功的两年。”

尽管收入有所增长，但由于食品杂货、水电煤气、住房成本和其他必需品的价格居高不下，许多美国人仍然感到经济拮据。共和党和民主党都承认，美国正面临一场负担能力危机。

拜登执政期间，家庭收入中位数几乎没有增长，这主要是因为该届政府不得不应对新冠疫情带来的经济动荡以及通货膨胀飙升的局面。经通胀调整后，家庭收入中位数直到2023年才恢复到疫情前的峰值水平，并在拜登执政的最后一年基本保持平稳。

值得注意的是，人口普查局公布的收入中位数并未包含股票资本收益，而股票资本收益通常惠及高收入的美国人。近年来，有能力投资的人的财富不断积累。标普500指数在2025年上涨了16.39%，连续第三年实现两位数增长。