The boost in median household income (in real terms) from 2014's $53,718 is the first annual increase of that figure since 2007, the Census Bureau announced Tuesday as part of its release of two reports, Income and Poverty in the United States: 2015 and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2015.
Real median income for family households in 2015 was $72,165, while non-family households was $33,805, increases from 2014 of 5.3 percent and 5.4 percent, respectively. Real median income in 2015 was 1.6 percent lower than 2007 and 2.4 percent lower than in 1999, the peak year for that figure.
Real median income of Hispanic households increased by 6.1 percent, while non-Hispanic white and black household incomes increased by 4.4 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively. Asian households registered the highest median income in 2015, but the percentage change from 2014 was not statistically significant.
Comment: When compared to the standard of living increases, raising the median income by percentage points probably does little to make life easier for the average American.
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