Year-by-Year Income Levels in the U.S.

We use the data from Census Bureau’s website. to derive the following year-by-year income levels in the U.S. The Middle Income Tier is based on the midian income each year from the Census Bureau. We then use the following to calculate other income tier numbers: the Low Income Tier is 50% of the median, the Lower Upper Income Tier is 1.5 times the median, and the Mid Upper Income Tier is 2 times the median. 

Historical Year-by-Year Income Levels in the U.S. Since 1977

Below is the extended table with the new columns for Annual Middle Income % Growth and Annual CPI % Growth, plus a row for CAGR.

Year	Low Income	Middle Income	Lower Upper Income	Mid Upper Income	Annual Middle Income % Growth	Annual CPI % Growth
1977	6,785	13,570	20,355	27,140	–	–
1978	7,530	15,060	22,590	30,120	10.98	7.59
1979	8,415	16,830	25,245	33,660	11.75	11.35
1980	9,340	18,680	28,020	37,360	11.05	13.50
1981	10,130	20,260	30,390	40,520	8.46	10.32
1982	10,525	21,050	31,575	42,100	3.90	6.16
1983	10,885	21,770	32,655	43,540	3.42	3.21
1984	11,715	23,430	35,145	46,860	7.63	4.32
1985	12,455	24,910	37,365	49,820	6.32	3.56
1986	13,240	26,480	39,720	52,960	6.30	1.86
1987	13,840	27,680	41,520	55,360	4.53	3.65
1988	14,685	29,370	44,055	58,740	6.11	4.14
1989	15,605	31,210	46,815	62,420	6.27	4.82
1990	16,355	32,710	49,065	65,420	4.81	5.40
1991	16,510	33,020	49,530	66,040	0.95	4.21
1992	16,805	33,610	50,415	67,220	1.79	3.01
1993	17,175	34,350	51,525	68,700	2.20	2.99
1994	17,870	35,740	53,610	71,480	4.05	2.56
1995	18,805	37,610	56,415	75,220	5.23	2.83
1996	19,445	38,890	58,335	77,780	3.41	2.95
1997	20,210	40,420	60,630	80,840	3.93	2.29
1998	21,220	42,440	63,660	84,880	5.00	1.56
1999	22,385	44,770	67,155	89,540	5.49	2.21
2000	22,955	45,910	68,865	91,820	2.55	3.38
2001	22,930	45,860	68,790	91,720	-0.11	2.85
2002	22,915	45,830	68,745	91,660	-0.07	1.58
2003	23,030	46,060	69,090	92,120	0.50	2.28
2004	23,605	47,210	70,815	94,420	2.50	2.66
2005	24,435	48,870	73,305	97,740	3.52	3.39
2006	25,055	50,110	75,165	100,220	2.54	3.23
2007	25,550	51,100	76,650	102,200	1.98	2.85
2008	25,465	50,930	76,395	101,860	-0.33	3.84
2009	25,415	50,830	76,245	101,660	-0.20	-0.36
2010	25,240	50,480	75,720	100,960	-0.69	1.64
2011	25,125	50,250	75,375	100,500	-0.46	3.16
2012	25,370	50,740	76,110	101,480	0.98	2.07
2013	26,125	52,250	78,375	104,500	2.98	1.46
2014	26,345	52,690	79,035	105,380	0.84	1.62
2015	27,645	55,290	82,935	110,580	4.93	0.12
2016	28,495	56,990	85,485	113,980	3.07	1.26
2017	29,525	59,050	88,575	118,100	3.61	2.13
2018	30,540	61,080	91,620	122,160	3.44	2.44
2019	32,835	65,670	98,505	131,340	7.52	1.81
2020	33,760	67,520	101,280	135,040	2.81	1.23
2021	35,390	70,780	106,170	141,560	4.83	4.70
2022	37,290	74,580	111,870	149,160	5.37	8.00
2023	40,305	80,610	120,915	161,220	8.08	4.12
2024	40,305	80,610	120,915	161,220	0.00	2.30 (est.)
CAGR (1977–2024)	–	3.85%	–	–	–	3.56%
CAGR (2005–2024)		2.68%				2.51%
CAGR (2015–2024)		4.28%				3.07%
CAGR (2020–2024)		4.54%				4.77%

Historical Income Data Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Historical Income Tables: Households, Table H-5. Access the data here. All values are in nominal (current) dollars for each year. Note: 2024 income uses 2023 data as a proxy, pending official release.

The middle income has slightly outgrown the inflation (CPI) since 1977. However, for the past 5 years, inflation indeed outpaced the income growth.