Household Income Dips in January

Median household income fell to $50,020 in January 2012, according to estimates by Sentier Research. The 1.3 percent decline, after adjusting for inflation, is the first downturn after four consecutive months of increase. One factor that led to the decline in real median household income is the 0.4 percent rise in the Consumer Price Index in January, according to Sentier's Gordon Green. 

January's $50,020 median household income was 5.4 percent lower than the median in June 2009--the supposed end of the Great Recession. It was 7.8 percent lower than the median in December 2007, the start of the Great Recession. It was 8.7 percent lower than the median in January 2000. The Household Income Index for January 2012 was 91.3 (January 2000 = 100.0).

Source: Sentier Research, Household Income Trends Series: January 2012