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Senior Household Income
About This Indicator
What Is This?
The median income of households headed by someone 65 or older, adjusted for inflation, from the Census Bureau, since 1967. It counts pretax cash income, such as Social Security, pensions, and earnings. Redesigned questions explain part of the 2013 jump.
Why Does It Matter?
It measures what older households live on once paychecks shrink or stop. From 1967 to 2000 it nearly doubled after inflation; the all-household median rose about a third.
Can Politics Influence It?
Social Security's benefit formula, tax breaks for IRAs and 401(k)s, and the job market for older workers all reach it.
Key Idea
Part of the rise is who is counted: 1967's retirees worked through the Depression, often in jobs Social Security did not yet cover; later ones more often had two earners and savings. It counts only what people report to a survey, so income they leave out never shows.
Scored: Faster Growth Ranks Better
Source: Census Bureau. Historical Income Table H-10 (h10ar), all races, householder 65 and over.
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