Political Calculations' initial estimate of median household income in December 2022 is $79,405, an increase of $193 (or 0.2%) from the initial estimate of $79,212 in November 2022.

The latest update to Political Calculations' chart tracking Median Household Income in the 21st Century reflects the results of that revision, showing the nominal (red) and inflation-adjusted (blue) trends for median household income in the United States from January 2000 through December 2022. The inflation-adjusted figures are presented in terms of constant December 2022 U.S. dollars.

Adjusted for inflation, December 2022's estimated median household income represents a new record peak for this demographic characteristic, exceeding the revised December 2021's previous peak by $1,499. We also observe the effect of inflation continues to be muted, coinciding with the substantial decline in oil prices since the early June 2022. That decline has offset the effect of other rising prices, where increases in the cost of food has been significant.

Taking a step back to look at the average personal income earned by individual Americans, we find their inflation-adjusted income has not yet recovered to its December 2021 level.

Zooming in to look just at the Biden era, we see that nominal earned income growth slowed considerably after December 2021.

Adjusted for inflation, personal earned income growth shrank in the first half of 2022 before bottoming in June 2022, coinciding with the nation's technical recession. It grew at a relatively steady rate in the second half of 2022.

Analyst's Notes

The U.S. Census Bureau released updated population estimates extending back to March 2020. These changes were both positive and progressively substantial. By positive, we mean that all estimates were increased over their previously reported level. By progressively substantial, we mean that the smallest adjustment (+1,000) was made for March 2020, with most months seeing a progressively larger upward adjustment ending with November 2022 seeing the biggest increase (+744,000). That's a substantial change.

By contrast, the BEA made minor downward adjustments to its aggregate wage and salary data for only the months of October 2022 (-0.1%) and November 2022 (-0.3%).

The combined effect of these changes is most notable for November 2022. As noted earlier, our pre-revision median household income estimate for month was $79,212. November 2022's estimate fell by $135 (-0.2%) to $79,077 after these revisions superseded the previous data. Revisions in our estimates of median household income for the other months from March 2020 through October 2022 are smaller.

During March 2023, the U.S. Census Bureau will collect survey data from roughly 75,000 households for its Annual Social and Economic Supplement. It will take nearly six months to analyze the data it compiles before presenting its annual estimate of the U.S. median household income for the 2022 calendar year on Friday, 8 September 2023.

References

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Table 2.6. Personal Income and Its Disposition, Monthly, Personal Income and Outlays, Not Seasonally Adjusted, Monthly, Middle of Month. Population. [Online Database (via Federal Reserve Economic Data)]. Last Updated: 27 January 2023. Accessed: 27 January 2023.

U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Table 2.6. Personal Income and Its Disposition, Monthly, Personal Income and Outlays, Not Seasonally Adjusted, Monthly, Middle of Month. Compensation of Employees, Received: Wage and Salary Disbursements. [Online Database (via Federal Reserve Economic Data)]. Last Updated: 27 January 2023. Accessed: 27 January 2023.

U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. Consumer Price Index, All Urban Consumers - (CPI-U), U.S. City Average, All Items, 1982-84=100. [Online Database (via Federal Reserve Economic Data)]. Last Updated: 12 January 2023. Accessed: 12 January 2023.

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