The nation's median household income, which had been $59,000 from 2011 to 2015, rose to $65,000 from 2016 to 2020.
The growth coincides with a rise in educational attainment levels, as well as a significant drop in poverty levels nationwide — 15.5% to 12.8%.
Zoom in: In the Des Moines metro, fast-growing Warren County saw the biggest gains in median household income at a 25% increase, growing from $64,000 to $80,000.