The U.S. Census Bureau released data showing that real median household income in 2024 was $83,730, a figure not statistically different from the 2023 estimate of $82,690. The official poverty rate declined by 0.4 percentage points to 10.6% in 2024. The Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) rate for the year stood at 12.9%, and about 92% of the population had health insurance coverage for all or part of the year.
These statistics are drawn from three reports: “Income in the United States: 2024,” “Poverty in the United States: 2024,” and “Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2024.” The official poverty measure is based on pretax money income and does not include tax credits, while the SPM accounts for taxes, transfers, and government assistance programs.
The data come from the Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), which is conducted annually to provide national estimates on income, poverty, and health insurance coverage. The CPS is sponsored by both the Census Bureau and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The response rate for the 2025 CPS ASEC was reported at 62%, slightly higher than last year’s rate but still below pre-pandemic levels. Adjustments were made to survey weights to address nonresponse bias and ensure representativeness.
Median household income did not change significantly overall but saw increases among Asian (5.1%) and Hispanic (5.5%) households between 2023 and 2024, while it declined by 3.3% for Black households. Income inequality as measured by the Gini index showed no significant change compared to last year.
Among full-time, year-round workers, men’s median earnings increased by 3.7%, while women’s earnings did not show a significant change over this period. The female-to-male earnings ratio dropped for a second consecutive year to 80.9%.
Post-tax household income rose by 1.8% to $72,330 in 2024 compared with $71,040 in 2023. When measured using post-tax income instead of pretax income, inequality as measured by the Gini index was found to be lower by nearly nine percent.
For families of four, the weighted average poverty threshold was $32,130 in 2024 (https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/income-poverty/historical-poverty-thresholds.html). There were an estimated 35.9 million people living in poverty during that year.
Official poverty rates decreased among White, Asian, and Hispanic individuals but remained unchanged for other race groups discussed in the report.
The SPM considers government programs such as Social Security—which moved nearly 29 million individuals out of SPM-defined poverty—as well as taxes and medical expenses when calculating thresholds. Increases in SPM rates were observed among those aged over sixty-five years old and Black individuals; other groups did not see significant changes.
In most cases analyzed within these reports, SPM rates were higher than official poverty rates except among those under eighteen years old or living with cohabiting partners.
Regarding health insurance coverage during calendar year 2024, private insurance remained more common than public options—66% versus about 36%. Employment-based insurance covered more than half of Americans at some point during the year; Medicare covered just over nineteen percent; Medicaid nearly eighteen percent; direct-purchase plans just under eleven percent; TRICARE less than three percent; VA/CHAMPVA about one percent.
Private health coverage rates rose overall due mainly to an increase in direct-purchase plans while public coverage fell largely because fewer people were enrolled in Medicaid compared with last year.
Children under nineteen saw an increase in private coverage alongside a decrease in public program participation between years analyzed.
Regional- and state-level breakdowns are available within each respective report along with technical documentation on methodology (https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/cps/techdocs/cpsmar25.pdf).
“Social Security continues to be the largest antipoverty program, moving 28.7 million individuals out of SPM poverty in 2024.”
###
