In a stunning warning for the rapidly-aging U.S., poverty rose for seniors in more than 800 counties over the past five years, according to new Census Bureau estimates.
Why it matters: America's post-pandemic rebound didn't flatten inequality — it rearranged it. The winners clustered in educated metro areas and owned homes outright. The losers are increasingly older, renting, rural — or all three.
- The latest Census data also suggest the next phase of U.S. politics will be shaped less by a single national economy than by who benefited from growth and where they live.
By the numbers: The U.S. median household income rose to $80,734, the 2020–2024 American Community Survey released Thursday and examined by Axios showed.
- That's a 4.4% jump from 2015–2019 after inflation.
- Nearly 38% of adults 25 years or older had a bachelor's degree or higher in metro areas, up from 34.2% five years earlier.
- The national poverty rate is 12.5%, down from from 13.4%.
What they're saying: "Over the last five years, we've noticed a significant increase in the percentage of adults completing higher education," Census Bureau statistician Erik Hernandez said in a statement.
- He said about 89% of metro areas experienced an increase in the percentage of population 25 years and over with a bachelor's degree or higher when compared to the previous five years.
Yes, but: The rise in median income was not consistent across all counties.
- Most counties did not have a statistically significant change in median household income, illustrating how growth was confined to urban areas.
- And only half of "micropolitan areas" saw similar increases in residents with a bachelor's degree.
Zoom in: Median household income increased for most racial and ethnic groups, but the gaps remain wide and geographically entrenched, an Axios review of the data found.
- White and Asian households continue to earn substantially more than Black and Hispanic households across most states.
- States with large metro-driven gains often still show persistent racial income stratification, especially in the South and Midwest.
- The Census' own long-term view shows that income inequality by race has narrowed only marginally over the past 15 years, even as overall incomes rose.
The intrigue: Housing is also splitting Americans into owners and renters, the data suggest.
- Rents rose in more than four out of five counties nationwide.
- Mortgage payments stayed relatively flat, largely because many homeowners either refinanced at ultra-low rates or paid off their homes entirely.
The bottom line: The new numbers show this isn't just an economic story but a structural reshaping of American life.
- College-heavy metro areas are accumulating wealth, connectivity and political influence.
- Rural and micropolitan areas are improving more slowly, and sometimes slipping backward.
- Older Americans are increasingly house-rich but income-poor. Renters are bearing the brunt of inflation in a country where homeownership is increasingly out of reach for younger adults.
