The U.S. median household income reached $83,730 in 2024, up 3.9% from the preceding period. Massachusetts led the states shown with $113,900, while Louisiana had the lowest at $60,740. This article breaks down the latest state-level data, year-over-year changes, and historical trends.
Mississippi has the lowest median household income among U.S. states at $54,203, followed by West Virginia ($55,948) and Louisiana ($58,229). These states are concentrated in the Deep South and Appalachia, where incomes trail the national median by $20,000 or more, though lower living costs partly offset the gap.
The U.S. unemployment rate was 4.1% in July 2026, down from 4.2% in June, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. It measures the share of the labor force that is actively looking for work but not currently employed. The rate remains near historically low levels after a sharp pandemic spike and gradual cooling.
U.S. employment reached 158.46 million total nonfarm employees in 2025, up 0.48% from 2024, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A separate Census Bureau series reported 137.46 million U.S. employment in 2023. The long-run trend shows strong growth from 29.9 million in 1939, with a sharp pandemic drop in 2020 and a rapid recovery.
Per capita personal income varies widely across U.S. states, from $54,531 in Mississippi to $116,121 in the District of Columbia in 2025. Connecticut leads states at $98,879, while the national average is $76,393. This article breaks down the latest BEA data, rankings, and factors behind the differences.
The U.S. resident population reached an estimated 342.4 million in December 2025, up from 341.0 million in 2024 and 76.1 million in 1900. Census Bureau annual estimates and historical series show steady long-term growth, with the most recent year-over-year increase reflecting continued natural change and net international migration. This article summarizes official population totals by year, key milestones, and the methods behind the estimates.
The most recent official data show that U.S. median household income was $83,730 in 2024, a modest 1.3 percent real increase from 2023 that was not statistically significant. Gains were uneven, with higher-income households seeing healthier inflation-adjusted increases while middle- and lower-income households saw little change.
The U.S. population grew by 0.5% between July 2024 and July 2025, adding about 1.8 million people and reaching nearly 342 million. That is the slowest annual growth since 2021, driven by a 54% drop in net international migration. Natural increase remained steady at just over 500,000.
Florida is the fastest-growing state in 2026 with a 2% year-over-year population increase, followed by Arizona and Texas. Over the 2020–2025 period, Idaho led with 10.4% growth, while the South accounted for nearly three-quarters of U.S. population gains. This article breaks down the latest Census Bureau estimates, rankings, and the migration and economic forces behind the trend.
New York remains the largest U.S. city by population, with more than 8.5 million residents, followed by Los Angeles and Chicago. The latest Census Bureau estimates show 12 cities above one million, with Texas and the Sun Belt driving much of the growth. This article breaks down the top rankings, year-over-year changes, and what city-proper population figures do and do not capture.