By the numbers
Wisconsin’s real median household income rose for the third consecutive year in 2025, reaching a record high of $88,020, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The gains followed three consecutive annual declines from 2020 through 2022.
The series measures households’ pretax money income, including wages, investment income and cash benefits such as Social Security. The median value represents the midpoint for Wisconsin households, meaning that roughly half of households have incomes below that level and half have incomes above it. The figures are adjusted for inflation and expressed in 2025 dollars, allowing comparisons of purchasing power over time.
In 1984, the first year in the series, Wisconsin’s median household income was $57,290 in 2025 dollars. It reached a peak of $82,770 in 1999. Despite fluctuations, it trended downward over the following years, falling to $69,190 in 2013.
From 2014 through 2025, real or inflation-adjusted median household income generally trended upward.
Wyatt Eichholz is a policy and legislative associate at the Badger Institute.
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