This statistic shows the median household income in the United States from 1970 to 2020, by income tier. In 2020, the median household income for the middle class stood at 90,131 U.S. dollars, which was approximately a 50 percent increase from 1970. However, the median income of upper income households in the U.S. increased by almost 70 percent compared to 1970.

Since 1970, net national incomes per capita have grown in each region of the world. North America has experienced the largest increase, growing from nearly 4,500 U.S. dollars per capita in 1970 to $57,300 per capita in 2021. Europe and Central Asia follow behind North America, growing from 1,200 dollars per capita in 1970 to 22,000 in 2021. Other regions such as Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and North Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South Asia have not grown as high, but their growth is still significant, with net national incomes per capita in 2021 growing to between 10 and 20 times their 1970 levels.

Graph and download economic data for Real Median Personal Income in the United States (MEPAINUSA672N) from 1974 to 2023 about personal income, personal, median, income, real, and USA.

Wages in Japan decreased to 335164 JPY/Month in May from 338252 JPY/Month in April of 2025. This dataset provides - Japan Average Monthly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Graph and download economic data for Median Family Income in the United States (MEFAINUSA646N) from 1953 to 2023 about family, median, income, and USA.

Net national incomes have grown globally, growing from 694 U.S. dollars in 1970 to 9,750 in 2021. Much of this growth can be attributed to improvements in overall global development, as economies in developing countries have grown rapidly. Net national incomes grew steadily from the 1970s to the 2000s, and then experienced a sharper increase during the 2000s until the Great Recession, falling slightly in 2008.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR
Income (EC4)

FULL MEASURE NAME
Household income by place of residence

LAST UPDATED
January 2023

DESCRIPTION
Income reflects the median earnings of individuals and households from employment, as well as the income distribution by quintile. Income data highlight how employees are being compensated for their work on an inflation-adjusted basis.

DATA SOURCE
U.S. Census Bureau: Decennial Census - https://nhgis.org
Count 4Pb (1970)
Form STF3 (1980-1990)
Form SF3a (2000)

U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey - https://data.census.gov/
Form B19001 (2005-2021; household income by place of residence)
Form B19013 (2005-2021; median household income by place of residence)
Form B08521 (2005-2021; median worker earnings by place of employment)

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index - https://www.bls.gov/data/
1970-2021

CONTACT INFORMATION
vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator)
Income derived from the decennial Census data reflects the income earned in the prior calendar year, whereas income derived from the American Community Survey (ACS) data reflects the prior 12 month period; note that this inconsistency has a minor effect on historical comparisons (see Income and Earnings Data section of the ACS General Handbook - https://www.census.gov/content/dam/Census/library/publications/2020/acs/acs_general_handbook_2020_ch09.pdf). ACS 1-year data is used for larger geographies – Bay counties and most metropolitan area counties – while smaller geographies rely upon 5-year rolling average data due to their smaller sample sizes. Note that 2020 data uses the 5-year estimates because the ACS did not collect 1-year data for 2020.

Quintile income for 1970-2000 is imputed from decennial Census data using methodology from the California Department of Finance. Bay Area income is the population weighted average of county-level income.

Income has been inflated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for 2021 specific to each metro area; however, some metro areas lack metro-specific CPI data back to 1970 and therefore adjusted data uses national CPI for 1970. Note that current MSA boundaries were used for historical comparison by identifying counties included in today’s metro areas.

This statistic shows the change in the median household income per decade in the United States from 1970 to 2014, by income tier. Between 1990 and 2000, the median household income for the middle class increased by 12 percent.

This study defined middle class income households as those with an income between 67 and 200 percent of the U.S. median household income, after adjustment for household size. In 2014, the middle class income ranged from about 42,000 U.S. dollars to about 126,000 U.S. dollars per year for a three-person household.

VITAL SIGNS INDICATOR Income (EC4)

FULL MEASURE NAME Household income by place of residence

LAST UPDATED May 2019

DESCRIPTION Income reflects the median earnings of individuals and households from employment, as well as the income distribution by quintile. Income data highlight how employees are being compensated for their work on an inflation-adjusted basis.

DATA SOURCE U.S. Census Bureau: Decennial Census Count 4Pb (1970) Form STF3 (1980-1990) Form SF3a (2000) https://nhgis.org

U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey Form B19013 (2006-2017; place of residence) http://api.census.gov

Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Price Index All Urban Consumers Data Table (1970-2017; specific to each metro area) http://data.bls.gov

CONTACT INFORMATION vitalsigns.info@bayareametro.gov

METHODOLOGY NOTES (across all datasets for this indicator) Income data reported in a given year reflects the income earned in the prior year (decennial Census) or in the prior 12 months (American Community Survey); note that this inconsistency has a minor effect on historical comparisons (for more information, go to: http://www.census.gov/acs/www/Downloads/methodology/ASA_nelson.pdf). American Community Survey 1-year data is used for larger geographies – metropolitan areas and counties – while smaller geographies rely upon 5-year rolling average data due to their smaller sample sizes. Quintile income for 1970-2000 is imputed from Decennial Census data using methodology from the California Department of Finance (for more information, go to: http://www.dof.ca.gov/Forecasting/Demographics/Census_Data_Center_Network/documents/How_to_Recalculate_a_Median.pdf). Bay Area income is the population weighted average of county-level income.

Income has been inflated using the Consumer Price Index specific to each metro area; however, some metro areas lack metro-specific CPI data back to 1970 and therefore adjusted data is unavailable for some historical data points. Note that current MSA boundaries were used for historical comparison by identifying counties included in today’s metro areas.

Wages in Netherlands increased to 3875 EUR/Month in 2025 from 3708.33 EUR/Month in 2024. This dataset provides - Netherlands Average Hourly Wages Index - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

United States US: Price to Income Ratio: sa data was reported at 130.892 2015=100 in 2024. This records an increase from the previous number of 129.315 2015=100 for 2023. United States US: Price to Income Ratio: sa data is updated yearly, averaging 113.539 2015=100 from Dec 1970 (Median) to 2024, with 55 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 132.929 2015=100 in 1979 and a record low of 90.287 2015=100 in 2012. United States US: Price to Income Ratio: sa data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The data is categorized under Global Database’s United States – Table US.OECD.AHPI: House Price Index: Seasonally Adjusted: OECD Member: Annual. Nominal house prices divided by nominal disposable income per head. Net household disposable income is used. The population data come from the OECD national accounts database.

Graph and download economic data for Real Median Household Income in New York (MEHOINUSNYA672N) from 1984 to 2023 about NY, households, median, income, real, and USA.

Historical and Projected Per Capita Personal Income for Maryland and its Jurisdictions (in constant 2009 Dollars): 1970 - 2040. Historical data, 1970 - 2016, from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Projections by the the Maryland Department of Planning.

About 50.4 percent of the household income of private households in the U.S. were earned by the highest quintile in 2023, which are the upper 20 percent of the workers. In contrast to that, in the same year, only 3.5 percent of the household income was earned by the lowest quintile. This relation between the quintiles is indicative of the level of income inequality in the United States. Income inequalityIncome inequality is a big topic for public discussion in the United States. About 65 percent of U.S. Americans think that the gap between the rich and the poor has gotten larger in the past ten years. This impression is backed up by U.S. census data showing that the Gini-coefficient for income distribution in the United States has been increasing constantly over the past decades for individuals and households. The Gini coefficient for individual earnings of full-time, year round workers has increased between 1990 and 2020 from 0.36 to 0.42, for example. This indicates an increase in concentration of income. In general, the Gini coefficient is calculated by looking at average income rates. A score of zero would reflect perfect income equality and a score of one indicates a society where one person would have all the money and all other people have nothing. Income distribution is also affected by region. The state of New York had the widest gap between rich and poor people in the United States, with a Gini coefficient of 0.51, as of 2019. In global comparison, South Africa led the ranking of the 20 countries with the biggest inequality in income distribution in 2018. South Africa had a score of 63 points, based on the Gini coefficient. On the other hand, the Gini coefficient stood at 16.6 in Azerbaijan, indicating that income is widely spread among the population and not concentrated on a few rich individuals or families. Slovenia led the ranking of the 20 countries with the greatest income distribution equality in 2018.

Wages in China increased to 120698 CNY/Year in 2023 from 114029 CNY/Year in 2022. This dataset provides - China Average Yearly Wages - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

These data are 15-percent samples of all employed persons from the 1970 Census of Population and Housing. The data were cross-classified by four categories of earnings, and by two categories of numbers of workers and mean earnings. Thirteen categories of class of industry are cross-classified by five categories of workers, and by two categories of number of workers and mean wage and salary or self-employment income.

Aim of the study is to render the income distribution and income stratification in the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) form 1950 to 1970.

Topics: Tabulations in Online-Database HISTAT (Historical Statistics):

A. Synopses A.01 Sources of liquid income in percent (1950-1970) A.02 Personal income distribution in percent (1950-1970) A.03 Distribution of household-income in percent (1950-1970) A.04 Average income per household on social position of head of the household, Index (1950-1970) A.05 Distribution of private households on incomg-groups (1950-1970) A.06 Distribution of private households on size of household and incomg-group (1950-1970) A.07 Average yearly income per household in DM (1950-1970) A.08 Distribution of private households on number of persons receiving income and on income groups (1950-1970)

B. Development of functional and personal income B.01a Private households on household size and social position of head of the household in FRG in thousand (1950-1970) B.01b Private households on social position of head of the household and on income-receive in FRG in thousand (1950-1970) B.02 Development of household income in FRG in billions DM (1950-1970) B.03a Net-total income of the entire private households in the FRG im billions DM (1950-1970) B.03b Net-average income of the entire privat households in the FRG in DM (1950-1970)

C. Number of Net-income of private households C.01a Number of net-income of the entire private households in the FRG on income groups (1950-1970) C.01b Number of net-income of Self-Employed households in the FRG on income groups (1950-1970) C.01c Number of net-income of white-collar worker households in the FRG on income groups (1950-1970) C.01d Number of net-income of blue-collar worker households in the FRG on income groups (1950-1970) C.01e Number of net-income of retiree households in the FRG on income groups (1950-1970) C.02 Number of Households in the FRG on constant income groups in thousand (1950-1970) C.03 Net-annuity of housholds in the FRG on constant income groups in billions DM (1950-1970)

Z. Compendious statistical value schedules (1950-1985) Z.01 Statistical values of stratification of private household´s net-annuity and of families´ net-annuity on social groups (1950-1985) Z.02 Average monthly household income on social groups (1950-1974)

Salary and compensation information for employees at 1970 Group

These County Business Patterns files contain data from counties across the United States in 1970-1976. Variables include state, county, total employees, and total wages. Also provided are data on the number of establishments by employment size class.

Key information about Panama Monthly Earnings

• Panama Monthly Earnings stood at 1,288 USD in Aug 2023, compared with the previous figure of 1,287 USD in Aug 2022
• Panama Monthly Earnings data is updated yearly, available from Aug 1970 to Aug 2023, with an average number of 520 USD
• The data reached the an all-time high of 1,422 USD in Aug 2018 and a record low of 198 USD in Aug 1970

CEIC converts Monthly Earnings into USD. The National Institute of Statistics and Census provides Average Monthly Earnings in local currency. The International Monetary Fund average market exchange rate is used for currency conversions. Monthly Earnings are in annual frequency, ending in August of each year.


Further information about Panama Monthly Earnings

• In the latest reports, Panama Population reached 5 million people in Jun 2024
• Unemployment Rate of Panama dropped to 7 % in Aug 2023
• The country's Labour Force Participation Rate increased to 62 % in Aug 2023