Household Income In Wisconsin Went Down Amid Pandemic: See New Data

WISCONSIN — Median household income in Wisconsin saw a decrease in 2021 when compared with pre-pandemic times, a new report from the Census Bureau showed.

Across the country, median household income remained relatively the same between 2019 and 2021, increasing on average by $78, according to American Community Survey responses. The last time household income in America flat-lined in a similar fashion was around 2013.

At the same time, the so-called “Gini index,” which measures wealth and income inequality, increased by 0.8 percent nationally. The wealth gap also widened in 21 states and the District of Columbia.

Survey responses from 2020 were thrown out of the comparison. Responses were down during pandemic disruptions, and those who did respond had statistically different social, economic and housing situations than those who did, leading to “unreasonable estimates,” the Census Bureau said.

Wisconsin was among the many states that showed a decrease in household income, with an average decrease of 1.3 percent, according to Census data.

The median household income was $67,125 in 2021, compared with $68,003 in 2019. The Gini index in Wisconsin increased by 1.7 percent.

Importantly, the report looks at median rather than average income. The median is the middle point in the data set that includes income distribution above and below it, including those without income.

The Gini index ranges from 0 to 1, with 0 representing perfect equality with a proportional distribution of income, and 1 representing perfect inequality, according to the report.

Some other findings:

• White, Asian and Hispanic households saw the greatest increase in median household income between 2019 and 2021. Income remained about the same in Black households.
• Households headed by householders aged 25 to 44 experienced an increase in median household income between 2019 and 2021 while households maintained by householders 65 years and older experienced a decrease.
• The other age groups saw no significant change in median household income.