Average (median) family income in the United States was estimated at $5,000 in 1957, or about 4 percent higher than in 1956, according to estimates, released today by the Bureau of the Census, Department of Commerce. However, this $200 gain in money income between 1956 and 1957 probably represented no significant change in purchasing power for the average family, since prices also rose substantially during this period.¹

The average income of nonfarm families rose by about 3 percent over the year, largely because of further increases in wage rates in most industries. In the case of the farm population, other evidence indicates that a rise in income over the year was due partly to increased earnings from nonfarm work. A growing number of farm families derive at least part of their income from employment off the farm.

Of the Nation's 44 million families, about 4 million, or one-tenth, received incomes of $10,000 or more, and an additional 18 million, or two-fifths, had incomes ranging between $5,000 and $10,000. At the other end of the income scale, 6 1/2 million, or 15 percent, had incomes under $2,000. The remaining 15 1/2 million were in the $2,000-to-$5,000 bracket. The distribution of families (groups of two or more related persons) by their income in 1957 is shown in table A.

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¹ The Consumer Price Index of the Department of Labor averaged 116.2 in 1956 and 120.2 in 1957.