American households earned a record median income of $87,460 last year, according to new Census Bureau data. The catch? That figure is only slightly above the previous peak set in 2019. Adjusting for inflation, that means the typical household has gained little economic ground in six years marked by pandemic upheaval and surging consumer prices….
Sky-high rental costs across the U.S. are swallowing up a large share of Americans’ paychecks in cities, as a stubborn supply shortage keeps prices elevated. According to Zillow, the median rent for a two-bedroom home in New York City, the country’s priciest metro area, runs $4,750 a month — or $57,000 a year. That’s more…
The typical American’s paycheck has grown faster since 2019 than in any stretch since the early 1980s. Most of it didn’t stick. A CBS News analysis of Census data found the typical full-time worker earned $1,250 a week in the first half of 2026. That’s up $342 from the year before the pandemic, a raise…
