Friday, May 03, 2019

Median Household Income Falls Slightly in March 2019

Median household income fell to $63,425 in March 2019, after adjusting for inflation. This was 1 percent below the record high median recorded in January 2019, according to Sentier Research. Behind the decline is rising inflation. "The decline in real median household income of $635 between January 2019 and March 2019 is likely related to the uptick in inflation during the same time period," reports Sentier's Gordon Green. Sentier's estimates are derived from the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey and track the economic wellbeing of households on a monthly basis.

Despite the decline since January, the March 2019 median was 1.5 percent higher than the March 2018 median, after adjusting for inflation. It was 14.6 percent higher than the post-Great Recession low reached in June 2011 ($55,360)—a bottom hit two years after the official end of the Great Recession.

Sentier's Household Income Index for March 2019 was 103.5 (January 2000 = 100.0). In other words, after adjusting for inflation, the March 2019 median was just 3.5 percent higher than the median of January 2000—almost two decades ago. To stay on top of these trends, look for the next monthly update from Sentier.

Source: Sentier ResearchHousehold Income Trends: March 2019

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