Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in United States
United States: Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income was 18.9% in 2024. ▲ Rising
Latest (2024)
18.9%
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
14th
of 130 countries
All-time high
18.9%
in 1993
All-time low
15.3%
in 2021
Years of data
62
1963–2024
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in United States, 1963–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in United States is 18.9%, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 62 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.6% on the previous year and up 11.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in United States peaked at 18.9% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 15.3%, in 2021.
That places United States 14th out of 130 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 15.6% | — |
| 1964 | 15.7% | +0.6% |
| 1965 | 15.9% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 16.6% | +4.4% |
| 1967 | 16.2% | -2.4% |
| 1968 | 15.7% | -3.1% |
| 1969 | 15.7% | +0.0% |
| 1970 | 16.1% | +2.5% |
| 1971 | 16.1% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 17.0% | +5.6% |
| 1973 | 16.3% | -4.1% |
| 1974 | 15.7% | -3.7% |
| 1975 | 16.3% | +3.8% |
| 1976 | 16.0% | -1.8% |
| 1977 | 15.7% | -1.9% |
| 1978 | 15.6% | -0.6% |
| 1979 | 15.4% | -1.3% |
| 1980 | 15.8% | +2.6% |
| 1981 | 16.5% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 17.6% | +6.7% |
| 1983 | 18.6% | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 18.3% | -1.6% |
| 1985 | 18.2% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 18.3% | +0.5% |
| 1987 | 18.1% | -1.1% |
| 1988 | 18.1% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 17.9% | -1.1% |
| 1990 | 18.1% | +1.1% |
| 1991 | 18.6% | +2.8% |
| 1992 | 18.7% | +0.5% |
| 1993 | 18.9% | +1.1% |
| 1994 | 18.2% | -3.7% |
| 1995 | 17.7% | -2.7% |
| 1996 | 18.0% | +1.7% |
| 1997 | 17.6% | -2.2% |
| 1998 | 17.9% | +1.7% |
| 1999 | 17.7% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 17.3% | -2.3% |
| 2001 | 17.5% | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 18.1% | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 17.9% | -1.1% |
| 2004 | 17.6% | -1.7% |
| 2005 | 17.7% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 17.9% | +1.1% |
| 2007 | 18.3% | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 18.3% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 17.4% | -4.9% |
| 2010 | 17.7% | +1.7% |
| 2011 | 17.9% | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 18.1% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 17.9% | -1.1% |
| 2014 | 17.0% | -5.0% |
| 2015 | 17.2% | +1.2% |
| 2016 | 17.9% | +4.1% |
| 2017 | 18.3% | +2.2% |
| 2018 | 18.2% | -0.5% |
| 2019 | 18.6% | +2.2% |
| 2020 | 17.0% | -8.6% |
| 2021 | 15.3% | -10.0% |
| 2022 | 18.3% | +19.6% |
| 2023 | 18.6% | +1.6% |
| 2024 | 18.9% | +1.6% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 18.9% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.7%, 1.6× the median. (41 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.9% | 15.6% | 16.6% | 7 |
| 1970s | 16.0% | 15.4% | 17.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 17.7% | 15.8% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 1990s | 18.1% | 17.6% | 18.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.8% | 17.3% | 18.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.9% | 17.0% | 18.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.6% | 15.3% | 18.9% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More infrastructure data for United States
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 390.99 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions 113.19 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 81.55 million (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions 23.61 per 100 people (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per capita 0.2398 units per person (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, annual growth rate -3.87 % change on previous year (2024)
- Fixed telephone subscriptions, gaps filled 81.55 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per capita 1.15 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in United States?
- Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income in United States was 18.9% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 18.9% in 1993.
- What is the lowest proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.3% in 2021.
- How does United States rank for proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income?
- United States ranks 14th out of 130 countries with data for 2024.
- Is proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 11.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of people living below 50 percent of median income (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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