Individual Income by Year: Average, Median, One Percent, and a Percentile Calculator

Written by:
PK

On this page is the United States average individual income by year and median individual income by year between 1962 and 2022.

You'll also find the top 1% individual income by year between 1996 and 2022, as well as the top 5% and 10%. Additionally, find an income by year calculator just below so you can compare two years, with or without inflation adjustments.

After: You can find the household income by year research here.

Individual Income Percentile by Year Calculator

Note: Incomes are earned in the full calendar year before (Jan - Dec) the survey year. Be sure to read the methodology if you use inflation-adjustments.

Individual Income Percentile Statistics from 1962-2022

This graph summarizes the average, median, top 1%, top 5%, and top 10% individual income by year from 1962-2022.

Inflation Adjusted Individual Income in the United States, 1962-2022. Average, Median, Top 10%, 5%, and 1% Incomes
Nominal Individual Income in the United States, 1962-2022. Average, Median, Top 10%, 5%, and 1% Incomes

Top 1% is a tricky one – aggressive top-coding (and no methodology to repopulate data) means our data isn't immediately useful in raw form before 1996. See the notes below for more.

Median Individual Income by Year

This table shows the median individual income per year in the United States back to 1962.

YearMedian Individual IncomeInflation Adjusted (2022)
1962$3,000$27,251
1963$3,000$26,950
1964$3,200$28,278
1965$3,360$29,373
1966$3,500$30,111
1967$3,640$30,508
1968$4,000$32,520
1969$4,160$32,364
1970$4,550$33,629
1971$4,839$33,769
1972$5,000$33,457
1973$5,356$34,697
1974$5,720$34,834
1975$6,000$32,959
1976$6,617$33,310
1977$7,000$33,281
1978$7,500$33,503
1979$8,216$34,167
1980$9,365$34,925
1981$10,041$32,983
1982$10,804$32,175
1983$11,250$31,593
1984$12,000$32,629
1985$12,619$32,882
1986$13,450$33,854
1987$14,100$34,843
1988$15,002$35,767
1989$16,000$36,642
1990$17,000$37,153
1991$17,615$36,487
1992$18,000$35,780
1993$18,500$35,726
1994$18,720$35,108
1995$19,502$35,630
1996$20,109$35,735
1997$21,026$36,293
1998$22,126$37,359
1999$24,000$39,902
2000$25,000$40,650
2001$25,610$40,273
2002$26,400$40,382
2003$27,000$40,650
2004$28,000$41,239
2005$28,300$40,578
2006$30,000$41,621
2007$30,005$40,321
2008$31,200$40,748
2009$31,100$39,140
2010$30,324$38,311
2011$31,024$38,537
2012$32,000$38,542
2013$32,202$38,025
2014$34,000$39,517
2015$35,000$40,077
2016$36,000$40,934
2017$38,000$42,908
2018$39,632$43,808
2019$40,105$43,272
2020$43,894$46,496
2021$44,225$46,304
2022$46,001$46,001

Average Individual Income by Year

This table includes the average individual income per year in the United States, including both inflation adjusted and nominal numbers.

YearAverage Individual IncomeInflation Adjusted (2022)
1962$3,712$33,721
1963$3,710$33,331
1964$3,948$34,886
1965$4,122$36,036
1966$4,273$36,764
1967$4,527$37,944
1968$4,787$38,917
1969$5,168$40,207
1970$5,663$41,852
1971$5,967$41,639
1972$6,243$41,775
1973$6,796$44,022
1974$7,267$44,253
1975$7,653$42,040
1976$8,345$42,011
1977$8,892$42,277
1978$9,591$42,843
1979$10,507$43,695
1980$11,657$43,471
1981$12,531$41,162
1982$13,675$40,724
1983$14,478$40,659
1984$15,215$41,371
1985$16,390$42,708
1986$17,295$43,532
1987$18,203$44,981
1988$19,239$45,868
1989$20,220$46,307
1990$21,547$47,091
1991$22,158$45,897
1992$22,707$45,137
1993$23,444$45,273
1994$23,906$44,834
1995$25,000$45,674
1996$27,699$49,222
1997$28,965$49,996
1998$30,626$51,711
1999$32,127$53,414
2000$32,971$53,611
2001$35,676$56,102
2002$36,782$56,264
2003$36,957$55,640
2004$37,886$55,799
2005$38,853$55,710
2006$40,607$56,337
2007$42,608$57,257
2008$43,356$56,625
2009$43,672$54,962
2010$43,356$54,776
2011$43,638$54,206
2012$45,312$54,576
2013$46,377$54,764
2014$48,258$56,088
2015$49,382$56,545
2016$51,729$58,819
2017$54,187$61,187
2018$56,129$62,043
2019$58,394$63,005
2020$62,797$66,520
2021$63,214$66,185
2022$66,755$66,755

Note: Yes, the 1% top-coding challenges affect the average to some degree. However, this data is reasonably close.

Top 10% Individual Income by Year

This table summarized the top 10% individual income by year in the US. As in other tables, you'll find both non inflation-adjusted and inflation-adjusted numbers.

YearTop 10% Individual IncomeInflation Adjusted (2022)
1962$7,613$69,155
1963$7,800$70,071
1964$8,100$71,579
1965$8,550$74,744
1966$9,000$77,429
1967$9,620$80,629
1968$10,000$81,300
1969$10,700$83,245
1970$12,000$88,691
1971$12,400$86,534
1972$13,001$86,994
1973$14,300$92,637
1974$15,307$93,218
1975$16,200$88,991
1976$17,600$88,599
1977$19,000$90,333
1978$20,250$90,457
1979$22,200$92,320
1980$24,503$91,380
1981$26,110$85,767
1982$28,798$85,761
1983$30,400$85,372
1984$32,075$87,214
1985$34,638$90,259
1986$36,150$90,991
1987$38,105$94,162
1988$40,124$95,662
1989$41,800$95,728
1990$44,500$97,254
1991$45,900$95,074
1992$47,000$93,425
1993$49,000$94,625
1994$50,200$94,147
1995$52,290$95,532
1996$55,011$97,757
1997$56,850$98,130
1998$60,208$101,660
1999$63,200$105,075
2000$67,300$109,430
2001$70,360$110,643
2002$72,498$110,895
2003$73,577$110,774
2004$75,304$110,910
2005$77,351$110,911
2006$80,125$111,163
2007$84,537$113,601
2008$87,000$113,624
2009$87,025$109,522
2010$88,010$111,192
2011$90,000$111,795
2012$91,280$109,942
2013$93,854$110,825
2014$100,000$116,226
2015$100,115$114,639
2016$103,000$117,117
2017$108,444$122,451
2018$114,560$126,631
2019$116,400$125,592
2020$125,330$132,760
2021$129,181$135,253
2022$132,676$132,676

Top 5% Individual Income by Year

Below I've listed the estimated top 5% individual income per year in the United States. You'll again find both inflation adjusted and nominal numbers.

YearTop 5% Individual IncomeInflation Adjusted (2022)
1962$9,950$90,384
1963$10,000$89,834
1964$10,150$89,695
1965$10,600$92,665
1966$11,066$95,203
1967$12,000$100,577
1968$12,390$100,731
1969$13,500$105,029
1970$15,000$110,864
1971$15,700$109,563
1972$16,600$111,077
1973$18,160$117,642
1974$19,800$120,580
1975$20,400$112,062
1976$22,010$110,800
1977$24,000$114,105
1978$25,794$115,223
1979$28,072$116,739
1980$30,550$113,932
1981$33,200$109,057
1982$36,006$107,227
1983$39,599$111,205
1984$41,060$111,645
1985$44,206$115,191
1986$46,800$117,797
1987$49,700$122,815
1988$51,000$121,592
1989$53,153$121,728
1990$57,205$125,021
1991$59,235$122,696
1992$60,643$120,545
1993$62,900$121,467
1994$65,250$122,372
1995$70,000$127,888
1996$72,750$129,280
1997$75,523$130,361
1998$80,500$135,922
1999$84,424$140,361
2000$90,100$146,503
2001$94,556$148,693
2002$97,966$149,852
2003$100,000$150,556
2004$100,804$148,467
2005$101,808$145,979
2006$108,984$151,201
2007$113,645$152,716
2008$117,300$153,197
2009$118,612$149,275
2010$118,030$149,119
2011$120,000$149,060
2012$125,000$150,556
2013$126,008$148,794
2014$132,000$153,418
2015$139,187$159,379
2016$144,507$164,314
2017$150,404$169,831
2018$154,000$170,227
2019$158,526$171,044
2020$174,600$184,951
2021$175,300$183,540
2022$186,006$186,006

Top 1% Individual Income by Year

Here is the top 1% individual income by year in the US, from 1996 on.

YearTop 1% Individual IncomeInflation Adjusted
1996$150,000$266,557
1997$152,877$263,883
1998$173,500$292,950
1999$174,424$289,993
2000$220,822$359,057
2001$329,998$518,933
2002$320,966$490,960
2003$200,319$301,591
2004$200,750$295,670
2005$200,921$288,093
2006$227,500$315,627
2007$244,157$328,099
2008$221,929$289,845
2009$389,599$490,316
2010$325,846$411,675
2011$233,600$290,171
2012$250,150$301,292
2013$250,562$295,871
2014$257,200$298,933
2015$265,169$303,637
2016$282,110$320,777
2017$301,000$339,879
2018$301,016$332,734
2019$328,551$354,495
2020$363,002$384,522
2021$357,552$374,359
2022$401,622$401,622

See the FAQ note below regarding 1962-1995 top 1% income data.

Other Individual Income by Year Questions

Where is the top 1% income level for 1995 and earlier data?

The Census Bureau changed its top coding procedure for the 1996 survey. To keep the methodology constant, I don't attempt to model the top 1% for that time-frame – you'll have to look elsewhere.

Yes, this affects average income some small amount as well. In your head, assume average income is a few dollars more per year before 1996.

What other calculators and pages do you have?

There's a whole calculator page here if you're keen but for something more topical...

See our individual income calculator and research. Also, see our net worth calculator and net worth by age calculator.

Source and Methodology on the Individual Income by Year Data

Flood, Miriam King, Renae Rodgers, Steven Ruggles, J. Robert Warren and Michael Westberry. Integrated Public Use Microdata Series, Current Population Survey: Version 9.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2021. https://doi.org/10.18128/D030.V9.0

The methodology here is different than our individual income research and individual income calculator. In this version, for older years, I only use variables which are available back to 1962. People who show up in either of these measures made the screen:

  • LABFORCE - A snapshot of labor force participation in the previous week
  • WKSWORK2 - Buckets of weeks worked in the previous year (I used 1-52 here)

Starting in 2021, I use the more extensive screen (including people who "Want" to work - see the annual posts.)

Notes on Workforce Size and Data Quality

Interested in the workforce size by year? I've got you.

Please note this is a different number than the instantaneous workforce which you might find in a monthly survey. It's basically anyone who worked at all in the previous year.

Care about data quality? Well then... you should run the numbers yourself and apply your own personal biases screens. I have summarized the samples here so you can see what we're working with.

YearSamplesEstimated Workforce
1962*         34,331                61,448,670
1963*         23,325                54,078,001
1964         35,131                85,346,941
1965         35,242                87,133,031
1966         72,351                90,083,575
1967         45,926                92,629,900
1968         72,508                94,181,272
1969         74,198                96,613,960
1970         70,311                98,028,824
1971         71,224                99,115,922
1972         68,718              101,321,942
1973         67,490              103,161,900
1974         67,208              106,554,083
1975         66,330              108,380,735
1976         67,368              107,518,856
1977         82,434              110,760,428
1978         81,303              113,560,472
1979         81,892              116,484,113
1980         96,787              117,679,012
1981         96,451              121,233,236
1982         86,253              122,425,629
1983         85,654              122,619,989
1984         85,222              124,485,036
1985         86,412              127,130,646
1986         84,657              129,167,517
1987         84,177              131,223,880
1988         84,708              133,258,849
1989         79,317              135,493,547
1990         87,001              137,581,317
1991         86,383              138,085,457
1992         84,566              138,493,774
1993         83,406              139,157,683
1994         80,967              142,302,606
1995         80,589              143,817,961
1996         70,419              145,151,098
1997         71,844              147,934,921
1998         71,974              149,487,450
1999         72,492              150,996,472
2000         74,135              153,649,301
2001       119,056              156,928,040
2002       117,443              156,761,460
2003       115,941              157,846,862
2004       113,981              158,065,281
2005       112,342              159,585,292
2006       111,710              161,667,995
2007       110,791              163,721,174
2008       111,033              164,862,179
2009       111,455              165,228,670
2010       111,115              164,601,724
2011       107,820              163,980,091
2012       105,533              164,815,765
2013       106,075              166,391,316
2014**       103,970              166,897,710
2015       102,998              167,944,362
2016         95,945              170,398,397
2017         96,536              171,360,200
2018         93,217              172,805,768
2019         93,833              174,033,390
2020         82,675              175,295,712
2021         84,967              174,458,178
2022         79,141              176,094,143

*1962 & 1963 had even more aggressive top-coding than later years. Assume the workforce was actually closer in size to 1964 and beyond.

**2014 was a special year in the ASEC. The Census Bureau tweaked their income questions [PDF]. The data in this post uses the whole sample, which blends the methodologies together.

Does it matter? It depends on your use case.

Inflation vs. Individual Income by Year

Inflation is... controversial.

Of course, IPUMS makes an adjustment easy. They provide simple to use charts to adjust survey numbers for CPI. That part is fine, and the math is easy enough.

Inflation is meant to be one number summarizing the aggregate change in cost of a basket of goods over time. It – by definition – won't apply to every person equally. It follows, then, that it won't apply to every income bracket equally. Heck, just picking the right inflation adjustment is controversial.

The upper percentiles – comprised of people who generally save more money – are affected less by inflation than the middle of the curve (in fact, if they are investors they may come out on top).

Of course, any illustrative example is also a generalization and a dodge. For example, since the 1980s people consuming more education and medical care experience more "inflation" than others.

We need to account for inflation somehow. And no, there isn't a fair way to do it across the spectrum. Just know that the math is fuzzy.

Conclusions on Individual Income Percentile by Year

Unlike with households, it's easier to compare individuals over time (but note things like the age of workforce change).

As with the household data, we also don't have the best view into the top 1% before 1996. (But we do have plenty of years to scoff at!).

The top-coding and methodology changes in the 1990s muddy the waters some, but the tool is very useful especially for the 95th percentile and below.

Limits to the Data

This data isn't longitudinal. The top 1%, for example, doesn't always comprise the same people.

To see what I mean, look at the workforce table, the top 1% actually comprises three times more individuals near the end, while also increasing in dollar value.

The takeaway: we've seen broad gains across the income spectrum. However, – using the ASEC data in this tool and the charts – we can't trace individuals up and down over the years.

      

PK

PK started DQYDJ in 2009 to research and discuss finance and investing and help answer financial questions. He's expanded DQYDJ to build visualizations, calculators, and interactive tools.

PK is in his mid-30s and lives in New Hampshire with his wife, kids, and dog.

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