The average American household spends $6,545 per month

The average household checking account balance is $16K, while the median is $2.8K

Average household checking account balances have doubled since 1989. Older, white, educated, and male customers tend to have larger balances on average, according to the data. See further data visuals here.

In Hawaii, the median household bank account balance is $43.6K

The media household bank account balance varies widely between states. In Mississippi, for instance, the median balance is much lower than Hawaii's at just $1.9K per household.

The average American household spends over $3K annually on dining out

The exact number is $3,228, or $269 per month. WalletHub found the number by crunching the data reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics between 2014 and 2023.

The average US household carries $105,056 in total debt

This article breaks down the average household debt by category, including credit card debt ($6,523), personal loans ($11,274), and more.

The salary needed to buy a home in the US

Anyone who has recently explored buying a home in the US knows it's not a cheap endeavor. The median salary for the typical American homebuyer has risen to roughly $104K, up from $88K two years ago. This data visualization breaks down the household income required to buy a median-priced home in 50 major US metro areas. Learn more here.

Even high earners are living paycheck to paycheck

While roughly 14% of American households make $200K or more per year, many of them still don't feel rich. For instance, more than 60% of people with salaries over $300K per year still struggle with credit card debt.

See a chart that shows how the average American spends their annual earnings, with almost half of all American consumer spending going toward transportation and housing.

Massachusetts is the state with the highest median household income for young Americans at $123.2K per year

Americans ages 25 through 44 make more in some states than others. While Massachusetts took the top billing, Mississippi came in last place out of all 50 states at $66K per year—a roughly 87% difference. However, it's important to remember that the cost of living in many of the highest-earning states in the US is significantly higher than the cost of living in the lowest-earning states.

The mean net worth for an American household is now $1M

That's according to 2024 data from the Federal Reserve. In 1848, just 50 households had achieved a net worth of at least $1M (roughly $40M in today's dollars). Millionaires have become significantly more common due to a multitude of factors, such as price increases in securities, inflation, and rising home values.

How life looks different with a $75K household income versus $150K

"The cleanest way to describe the gap is that $75K is often about stability, while $150K can be about optionality, but only if fixed expenses do not expand to consume the raise," said one finance professor.

In 1980, the median US household income was $21,020

In 1980, a steady middle-class job paid roughly $13,000 to $16,000 a year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. That income comfortably supported a household on one paycheck. The average full-time worker today, who makes $68K per year often cannot afford to support a household without a second income.

How much Americans spend on groceries by state

You've probably heard that the price of groceries has gone up across the US in the past few years—but do you know what the average American household is currently paying for their weekly grocery bill? That answer differs state-by-state: For instance, households in Alaska and Hawaii have the largest average weekly grocery bills at $329 and $334, respectively, partly due to shipping costs. See a map showing the averages in each state here.

Americans think they need $1.46M to retire comfortably in 2026.

The income needed to be middle class in every US state

Depending on the US state you live in, the household income needed to be considered "middle class" can vary from only $36K per year to $200K per year. It's more expensive to be considered middle class in states like Massachusetts and New Jersey than it is in West Virginia or Mississippi. See these numbers in a data visualization here.

The average American contributed nearly $6,000 to a 401(k) retirement account in 2023.

The American Dream costs more than $4M

The estimated cost of the American Dream—including buying a house, yearly vacations, retiring, raising two children, getting married, and more—is $4.4M, according to recent data from Investopedia. This illustrated graphic shows the estimated cost of the American dream per household over the course of their lifetime. See it here.

Visualize America's retirement savings by age, with the median retirement savings for Americans being $87K as of May 2024.

43% of Americans don't have savings to pay for a $1K emergency

That's according to data from January 2026 shared by US News. Among those who did have an emergency fund, the median balance was $5K.

Here's how much money Americans spend on Halloween

In 2024, Americans are expected to spend more than $11B on Halloween, which averages out to roughly $104 per person, according to the National Retail Federation's Halloween Spending Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics. That $11B number includes an anticipated almost $4B spent on costumes. See the full breakdown here.

See a map of where annual household incomes over $200K are most common in America.

401(k) plans had an average of $112K as of 2023

The median, however, is much lower at around $27K. The average balance of a 401(k) in the US differs across different age groups and income levels.

See the average income in every US state

DC residents make an average of $108K a year, but residents of nearby state West Virginia earn the country's lowest average annual income of just $55K.

Some say a $100,000 salary can’t buy the American dream

According to a 2023 survey, 52% of Americans said they would need to earn at least $100,000 a year to be financially comfortable. However, for a family of four, that's not enough money to achieve the American dream (having a degree of economic security) in any of the 50 states.

The lifetime cost of the American dream exceeds $5M

A new analysis suggests it costs millions of dollars to maintain the American dream over a lifetime. The price tag includes retirement, healthcare, higher education, homeownership, and other core elements of a comfortable life for the average American.

The countries with the highest wealth per person, ranked

When looking at countries with the highest average wealth per person, the United States comes in at number three (with $564,862 per person). But the US doesn't even make the top 10 when looking at the median wealth per person rather than the average, which is perhaps a more accurate version of the data. Explore the numbers here.

GoBankingRates evaluated whether the middle class can afford the American Dream

To do so, they looked at two studies: One that shows middle-class income ranges in each state, and another that determined the cost of the American dream in each state.

Americans ages 30 to 34 have $44,800 in their 401(k) accounts on average

Americans ages 28 to 44 save about 13.5% of their pretax income on average, which is close to the recommended retirement savings rate of 15%.

See the annual income required to purchase a typical three-bedroom home in each state as of 2025, based on a 10% down payment, a 6.65% interest rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage, and a 30% income-to-housing cost threshold.

Explore an interactive chart that shows peoples' annual salaries by occupation

The median salary for full-time workers in the United States was roughly $49.5K in 2024. An interactive chart details how salaries differ by occupation.

Some banks derive half of their income from overdraft fees on checking accounts

The fees are incurred when a customer withdraws more money than is left in the account, typically around $35 per overdraft. One in 11 Americans pays more than $350 a year in such fees, generating tens of billions of dollars each year for banks..

Hawaiian households spent 33% more on groceries than the US average in 2025

At $157 per week, Hawaiians had the highest average weekly grocery bill out of all the US states in 2025. Arkansas residents spent the least on groceries at $111 per week.

The typical US household could lower its household costs by 6.4% by using coupons

The study looked at coupons for food, household items, entertainment, and clothing, as well as other expected expenses. The grocery store category offered the largest amount of savings at around $316 annually.

At just over $1K, Mississippi has the lowest average weekly wage in the country.

See where Americans spend the most on gas

Drivers in Wyoming spend the most on gas per month at about $279, while New York drivers pay the least at $132. Longer driving distances have a significant impact on how much American drivers spend on gas.

In some expensive US cities, a $100K salary hardly offers a comfortable living

After tax, a $100K salary leaves you between $70K and $80K, depending on where you live. The value of what's left over varies significantly from city to city, with considerations like rent and grocery costs impacting how much money you lose.

The average monthly mortgage payment in the US costs 38% more than monthly rent

A recent study showed that the price gap between renting and buying grew in 38 major US metro areas since last year. The metro areas with the smallest price gaps between renting and buying include Detroit, Philadelphia, and Cleveland.

Experts recommend keeping one to two months' worth of expenses in checking

That amount allows you to pay your bills and avoid overdraft fees while ensuring you don't lose interest. Most checking accounts have a near-zero interest rate (0.07% APY on average) while high-yield savings could earn up to 4% as of 2026. Cash sitting in your checking account can mean a loss of hundreds of dollars.

More than half of student loan borrowers owed less than $25K in federally managed student debt as of 2024.

Americans spent an estimated $14.8B for the Fourth of July 2025.

The income needed to raise a family by US state

This map shows the annual household income needed to raise a family of four in each US state. West Virginia is the least expensive state on the map at $82K per year. These numbers were calculated based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data which factored in how annual living expenses such as housing, transportation, and groceries differ from state to state. See the map here.

Who owns America's wealth?

This visualization breaks down the total net worth of all US households by wealth percentile, listing the number of households in each percentile. As you'll see in the graphic, the total net worth of all US households is close to $160T, and the richer half of the country owns roughly 98% of it. Check out the visual here.

Hollywood actors make an average of $56K per year

While a Hollywood actor’s average salary can vary based their experience and the size of their projects, the average annual salary. in 2024 was $56,903.

Calculate whether or not you're in the American middle class

In 2022, roughly 52% of US adults lived in middle-income households. This income calculator can help you determine whether or not you're one of them. Specifically, the calculator lets you enter your household income, location, and more to see where you line up in Pew's government data.

Americans are projected to inherit $105T over the next 30 years

Today, someone's financial standing has more to do with their families than any other outside factor. Of the more than $100T of projected inheritance, that money is concentrated among a few wealthy estates and families.

Average retirement savings by state

Connecticut residents have the highest average retirement savings per person at $634K, according to data from the retirement plan provider Empower. On average across all states, Americans have saved $498K for retirement. This graphic shows the top ten states with the highest average retirement savings per person. See who came in second to Connecticut here.

See the growth of US consumer debt

Americans reached an all-time high debt burden in 2024. Data compiled from The Kaplan Group shows the evolution of auto loans, mortgages, credit card debt, and student loans from 2003 to 2023, and finds that after a brief decline after 2008, the total debt burden grew rapidly.

Alaska has the highest lifetime credit card debt of all US states at $484,620

That's 21.8% above the national average, partly due to Alaska's high cost of living and remote nature, which makes shipping in food and fuel more expensive. Iowa had the lowest average lifetime credit card debt out of all the states in the US at $319,740.

Consumer spending accounts for 70% of America's gross domestic product.

Calculate: Do you need to file for bankruptcy?

About 77% of American households had some debt at the end of 2023. However, when debt becomes crushing, it's time to consider a management plan or a bankruptcy filing. This calculator helps explore whether debt is manageable based on inputs like medical debt, payday loans, and gross annual income.

How much money you need to retire in each state

The average American thinks they'll need at least $1.46M to retire comfortably, according to a new study. But the actual floor for a comfortable retirement varies by state. In West Virginia, for instance, the study suggests that retirees only need to have about $712,921 saved for retirement.