U.S. median household income adjusted for inflation rose $2,250, or 2.6%, in 2025 to a record $87,460, marking the third consecutive annual gain and bringing the three-year increase to $6,000, or 7.4%. The gains were uneven: income for the top 10% rose 1.7%, while earnings for the bottom 10% were essentially flat. Since 1967, income growth has totaled 121% for the top group and 56% for the bottom; since 2000, the respective gains were 33% and 8%. The bottom 10% earned eight cents for every dollar earned by the top 10% in 2025, down from 11 cents in 1967. The top 20% received more than half of aggregate money income, while the bottom 20% received 3% and the top 5% nearly a quarter. The official poverty rate fell nearly half a point to 10.2%, while the supplemental poverty measure remained about 13.1%; child poverty fell to 13.4%. The data also showed racial, educational and gender disparities, with female workers earning 84 cents per male dollar, up from 81 cents in 2024. The figures, released Sept. 15 by the U.S. Census Bureau, do not reflect later policy changes affecting SNAP and Medicaid. SNAP removed 3.1 million people from poverty in 2025, while medical expenses pushed 7.7 million into poverty. Preliminary May 2026 figures showed SNAP enrollment down 13.5% year over year and Medicaid enrollment down 6%.