Are the government statistics for annunal income rigged?

Question

What do you really think the average income for a person in the US is?

Answer 1

about $85,000.00 per year.

Answer 2

The government gets it's statistics from the IRS and if
everyone honestly reports what they make, they take that
total number and divide it among the number of people
filing. There is no way to determine the actual individual
averages. Some people make 5 million and other make
35,000. State by state, it may be very different as housing,
taxes and salaries differ depending on the area. Somewhere
in South Carolina, your income of $40,000 would be sufficient
to exist, but in California you need around $100,000. to just
be considered middle class.

Answer 3

Median for 2002 was $43k per year.
Average is about $36k

According to some IRS data I have, average taxable income (per return) in 2003 was $41k

So I'd say all those figures are in the ball-park.

Averages and medians don't mean much as they lack context. If you're looking for improvement in aggregate, then they're somewhat useful. But they still don't tell you much. It could be that rich are getting richer-thus raising the average. But it could also be alot of poorer people are getting richer, again raising the average. So you really don't know.

Answer 4

for the last 20 consecutive months Americans have spent more than they earned ( first time since great depression ) . there is over 2 trillion in credit card debt . in 2001 bush said " the only people that count are the haves and the have mores " . my annual income ? not enough . averaging can look deceiving .you got millions of people in 5 digit income area ( under $100,000 ) , and then you got 100 thousand in 7,8,9,10,11 digit income level (billions).hungry ? eat the rich .

Answer 5

$36,000 a year