Income & Cost of Living

Earnings, income distribution, and affordability metrics across the U.S.

What Is the Gini Coefficient and How Does It Measure U.S. Income Inequality?

| Poverty & Inequality |

The Gini coefficient is a summary measure of income inequality that ranges from 0, perfect equality, to 1, perfect inequality. In the United States, the Census Bureau reported that income inequality increased in 2021 for the first time since 2011, driven by real income declines at the bottom. The Bureau of Economic Analysis now publishes state-level Gini coefficients, allowing geographic comparisons of income concentration.

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U.S. Inflation: What It Is, How It Is Measured and Historical Trends

| Cost of Living Indexes |

Inflation is a general increase in the price of goods and services over time, reducing the purchasing power of the dollar. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks inflation primarily through the Consumer Price Index, which measures price changes in a fixed basket of household goods and services. As of July 2026, headline inflation was 3.4 percent year over year, while core inflation excluding food and energy was 2.5 percent. This article explains the definition, methodology, historical context, and limitations of U.S. inflation data.

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Median Income vs. Average Income: Why the Middle Tells a Different Story

| Income Levels |

Median income and average income answer different questions. The median is the middle point of the income distribution and is not pulled by extreme earners, while the average can be heavily skewed by a small number of very high incomes. In the United States, the 2024 median household income was $83,730, but the average is significantly higher due to wealthy outliers. Understanding the difference is essential for interpreting economic well-being and inequality.

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