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Money Income in 1971 of Families and Persons in the United States

Written by:
Report Number P60-85

Median income of the Nation's families went above $10,000 in 1971 for the first time in U.S. history.

The 1971 median family income of $10,290 was about 4 percent higher than the 1970 median of $9,870. However, because of price increases, the 1971 median income was about the same as the 1970 median income in terms of constant dollars.1 Among the 52.3 million families with civilian heads, approximately 64 percent were headed by year-round full-time workers. The median income of these families was $12,440.

Of the 53.3 million families in the United States in March 1972, 27.6 million or 51.7 percent received incomes of $10,000 or more in 1971. There were 9.9 million families (18.5 percent) with incomes between $7,000 and $10,000; 6.0 million families (11.2 percent) with incomes between $5,000 and $7,000; and 9.8 million families (18.5 percent) with incomes below $5,000 in 1971.

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1 See Monthly Labor Review, April, 1972, U.S. Department of Labor, table 24, page 96.

A Note on Language

Census statistics date back to 1790 and reflect the growth and change of the United States. Past census reports contain some terms that today’s readers may consider obsolete and inappropriate. As part of our goal to be open and transparent with the public, we are improving access to all Census Bureau original publications and statistics, which serve as a guide to the nation's history.

Page Last Revised - October 8, 2021
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