Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in United States
United States: Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ was 72.07 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
72.07 international-$ in 2021 prices
Change on year
up 3.3%
World rank
4th
of 120 countries
All-time high
74.14 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 2020
All-time low
33.29 international-$ in 2021 prices
in 1963
Years of data
62
1963–2024
Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in United States, 1963–2024
Source: World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in international-$ in 2021 prices.
Analysis
The most recent figure for median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in United States is 72.07 international-$ in 2021 prices, measured in 2024.
That represents a change of up 3.3% on the previous year and up 27.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in United States peaked at 74.14 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020 and was at its lowest, 33.29 international-$ in 2021 prices, in 1963.
United States ranks 4th of 120 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in United States, year by year
| Year | international-$ in 2021 prices | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 33.29 international-$ in 2021 prices | — |
| 1964 | 34.56 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 1965 | 36.66 international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.1% |
| 1966 | 37.03 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.0% |
| 1967 | 38.68 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.5% |
| 1968 | 40.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.3% |
| 1969 | 41.7 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.4% |
| 1970 | 41.57 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 42.19 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 45.85 international-$ in 2021 prices | +8.7% |
| 1973 | 47.03 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.6% |
| 1974 | 45.5 international-$ in 2021 prices | -3.3% |
| 1975 | 46.01 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.1% |
| 1976 | 47.37 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 1977 | 47.92 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 48.98 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 49.42 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.9% |
| 1980 | 47.17 international-$ in 2021 prices | -4.6% |
| 1981 | 45.78 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.9% |
| 1982 | 46 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 47.45 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.2% |
| 1984 | 49.37 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.0% |
| 1985 | 49.82 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.9% |
| 1986 | 51.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 1987 | 53.31 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.8% |
| 1988 | 53.55 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 53.79 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 52.32 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.7% |
| 1991 | 52.44 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 52.12 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.6% |
| 1993 | 51.42 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.3% |
| 1994 | 52.37 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.8% |
| 1995 | 52.87 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.9% |
| 1996 | 53.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.9% |
| 1997 | 54.68 international-$ in 2021 prices | +2.5% |
| 1998 | 57.09 international-$ in 2021 prices | +4.4% |
| 1999 | 58.18 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 58.61 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.7% |
| 2001 | 58.29 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.5% |
| 2002 | 59.03 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.3% |
| 2003 | 59.28 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.4% |
| 2004 | 58.65 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 59.09 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 59.77 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 60.12 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 58.53 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.6% |
| 2009 | 59.1 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 58.36 international-$ in 2021 prices | -1.2% |
| 2011 | 58.03 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.6% |
| 2012 | 58.34 international-$ in 2021 prices | +0.5% |
| 2013 | 57.96 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.6% |
| 2014 | 56.54 international-$ in 2021 prices | -2.4% |
| 2015 | 59.46 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.2% |
| 2016 | 62.98 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.9% |
| 2017 | 63.92 international-$ in 2021 prices | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 66.05 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.3% |
| 2019 | 70.52 international-$ in 2021 prices | +6.8% |
| 2020 | 74.14 international-$ in 2021 prices | +5.1% |
| 2021 | 73.62 international-$ in 2021 prices | -0.7% |
| 2022 | 67.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | -8.0% |
| 2023 | 69.74 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.0% |
| 2024 | 72.07 international-$ in 2021 prices | +3.3% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 72.07 international-$ in 2021 prices is above the median for high income countries, which is 49.01 international-$ in 2021 prices, 1.5× the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 37.47 international-$ in 2021 prices | 33.29 international-$ in 2021 prices | 41.7 international-$ in 2021 prices | 7 |
| 1970s | 46.19 international-$ in 2021 prices | 41.57 international-$ in 2021 prices | 49.42 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1980s | 49.76 international-$ in 2021 prices | 45.78 international-$ in 2021 prices | 53.79 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 1990s | 53.68 international-$ in 2021 prices | 51.42 international-$ in 2021 prices | 58.18 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2000s | 59.05 international-$ in 2021 prices | 58.29 international-$ in 2021 prices | 60.12 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.22 international-$ in 2021 prices | 56.54 international-$ in 2021 prices | 70.52 international-$ in 2021 prices | 10 |
| 2020s | 71.46 international-$ in 2021 prices | 67.72 international-$ in 2021 prices | 74.14 international-$ in 2021 prices | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 1 Luxembourg 89.49 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 2 Norway 77.76 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 3 Switzerland 72.29 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 5 Austria 71.44 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 6 Netherlands 69.09 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
- 7 Canada 64.72 international-$ in 2021 prices compare
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in United States?
- Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ in United States was 72.07 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2024, according to World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 74.14 international-$ in 2021 prices in 2020.
- What is the lowest median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 33.29 international-$ in 2021 prices in 1963.
- How does United States rank for median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$?
- United States ranks 4th out of 120 countries with data for 2024.
- Is median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$ rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 27.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank Poverty and Inequality Platform (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Median income: 2021 vs. 2017 international-$. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Value of income or consumption per day below which 50% of the population live.