Inside the Middle Class: Bad Times Hit the Good Life

Median Household Income: 1970-2006

(January 2008 dollars)

Graph: Median Household Income: 1970-2006

Notes: Periods of recession are shaded in gray. Estimates of income are derived from the Current Population Survey (March supplements).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau. “Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006,” CPR P60-233 Table A-1 (August 2007)

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View Charts

Section 1: Being Married X Demographics

Section 1: Being Married X Gay Marriage

Section 1: Being Married X Religion, Church Attendance

Section 1: Being Wealthy X Class

Section 1: Being Wealthy X Demographics

Section 1: Better Off: Present vs. Past, Trend

Section 1: Care for the Needy X Party ID

Section 1: Children Comparison X Demographics

Section 1: Children Standard of Living, Trend

Section 1: Cost of Middle Class Lifestyle X Income

Section 1: Democratic Party Favor X Party ID

Section 1: Demographics X Class

Section 1: Does Wealth Come from Hard Work or Good Connections?

Section 1: Economic Characteristics X Class

Section 1: Economy & Personal Finance, Trend

Section 1: Free time X Age

Section 1: Free Time X Demographics

Section 1: Future Outlook X Demographics

Section 1: Future Outlook X Region

Section 1: Future vs. Present, Trend

Section 1: Having Children X Demographics

Section 1: Having Children X Religion

Section 1: Health Care X Party ID

Section 1: Home Ownership X Middle Class

Section 1: Important Priorities X Race

Section 1: Income X Home Ownership

Section 1: Income X Middle Class Occupations

Section 1: Intergenerational Mobility: Looking Backward

Section 1: Intergenerational Mobility: Looking Forward

Section 1: Job Satisfaction X Demographics

Section 1: Job Worries X Class

Section 1: Ladder of Life X Demographics

Section 1: Living a Religious Life X Demographics

Section 1: Living a Religious Life X Gay Marriage

Section 1: Living a Religious Life X Religion

Section 1: Looking Back X Demographics

Section 1: Middle Class Life, Trend

Section 1: Occupation X Social Class

Section 1: Occupations X Demographics

Section 1: Parent Comparison X Demographics

Section 1: Parent Standard of Living Comparison

Section 1: Personally Important Things

Section 1: Personally Important Things X Age

Section 1: Personally Important Things X Class

Section 1: Personally Important Things X Gender

Section 1: Present Life Ratings, Trend X Income

Section 1: Present v. Past, Trend X Income

Section 1: Priorities and Values X Class

Section 1: Quality of Life & Mobility X Class

Section 1: Quality of Life: Mean Ratings, Trend

Section 1: Republican Party Favor X Party ID

Section 1: Successful Career X Demographics

Section 1: Troubled Times…

Section 1: Volunteering X Demographics

Section 1: Volunteering X Religion

Section 1: Wealth Situation X Homeowner

Section 1: What I Have, What Most People Have

Section 2: Annual Income Growth

Section 2: Change in Income X Decade

Section 2: Debt Service Ratio, Trend

Section 2: Debt to Asset Ratio

Section 2: Debt to Income Ratio

Section 2: Debt to Income Ratio, Trend

Section 2: Family Expenditures

Section 2: Home sales and Income

Section 2: House Prices & Mortgage Debt

Section 2: Household Income Trend

Section 2: Income Trend X Age

Section 2: Income Trend X Income Group

Section 2: Income X Household Size

Section 2: Labor Rates of Mothers, Trend

Section 2: Median Size Houses: 1980 to 2006

Section 2: Median Wage X Education

Section 2: Middle Income X Demographics

Section 2: Net Worth X Income Class

Section 2: Sales Price of Existing Single-Family Homes and Household Income: 1970 to 2006

Section 2: Two Earner Household Trend: 1970-2006

Section 2: Winners and Losers

Section 2: …And More Trouble is Coming