{"metadata":{"schema_version":"1.0.0","generated_at":"2026-08-28T11:55:17.151Z","verified_at":"2026-08-28","story_path":"/1971","chart_count":7,"source_count":8,"baseline_year":1971,"scope_note":"A descriptive public-data story. Temporal proximity is not proof of causation."},"policy_marker":{"date":"1971-08-15","name":"The New Economic Policy address","description":"President Richard Nixon announced a 90-day wage-and-price freeze and suspended the dollar's convertibility into gold for foreign monetary authorities.","source_name":"Richard Nixon Presidential Library and Museum","source_url":"https://www.nixonlibrary.gov/research/almanac/august-15-1971"},"sources":[{"id":"fred-ophnfb","series_id":"OPHNFB","name":"Nonfarm business labor productivity","publisher":"U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/OPHNFB","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=OPHNFB","frequency":"quarterly","transformation":"Annual average of quarterly index values; normalized so 1971 = 100.","coverage_start":"1947-01-01","coverage_end":"2026-04-01"},{"id":"fred-comprnfb","series_id":"COMPRNFB","name":"Nonfarm business real hourly compensation","publisher":"U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/COMPRNFB","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=COMPRNFB","frequency":"quarterly","transformation":"Annual average of quarterly index values; normalized so 1971 = 100.","coverage_start":"1947-01-01","coverage_end":"2026-04-01"},{"id":"fred-prs85006173","series_id":"PRS85006173","name":"Nonfarm business labor share","publisher":"U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PRS85006173","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=PRS85006173","frequency":"quarterly","transformation":"Annual average of quarterly index values; normalized so 1971 = 100.","coverage_start":"1947-01-01","coverage_end":"2026-04-01"},{"id":"fred-cpiaucsl","series_id":"CPIAUCSL","name":"Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers: All Items","publisher":"U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIAUCSL","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=CPIAUCSL","frequency":"monthly","transformation":"Annual average of monthly index values; normalized so 1971 = 100.","coverage_start":"1947-01-01","coverage_end":"2026-07-01"},{"id":"fred-giniallrf","series_id":"GINIALLRF","name":"GINI Index for U.S. Families","publisher":"U.S. Census Bureau","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GINIALLRF","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=GINIALLRF","frequency":"annual","transformation":"Annual published value. The index is displayed on its original 0–1 scale.","coverage_start":"1947-01-01","coverage_end":"2024-01-01"},{"id":"fred-mefainusa672n","series_id":"MEFAINUSA672N","name":"Real Median Family Income in the United States","publisher":"U.S. Census Bureau","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/MEFAINUSA672N","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=MEFAINUSA672N","frequency":"annual","transformation":"Annual published value in chained 2024 dollars.","coverage_start":"1953-01-01","coverage_end":"2024-01-01"},{"id":"fred-gfdegdq188s","series_id":"GFDEGDQ188S","name":"Federal Debt: Total Public Debt as Percent of GDP","publisher":"U.S. Department of the Treasury and U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/GFDEGDQ188S","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=GFDEGDQ188S","frequency":"quarterly","transformation":"Annual average of quarterly percentages.","coverage_start":"1966-01-01","coverage_end":"2026-01-01"},{"id":"fred-psavert","series_id":"PSAVERT","name":"Personal Saving Rate","publisher":"U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis","source_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PSAVERT","download_url":"https://fred.stlouisfed.org/graph/fredgraph.csv?id=PSAVERT","frequency":"monthly","transformation":"Annual average of monthly percentages.","coverage_start":"1959-01-01","coverage_end":"2026-07-01"}],"charts":[{"eyebrow":"What changed around 1971?","category":"1971 data story","chart_type":"line","caveats":["A change near 1971 does not, by itself, identify its cause.","Annual averaging can hide within-year movement.","Series definitions and revisions are controlled by the named publisher."],"featured":false,"reference_years":[{"year":1971,"label":"1971"}],"slug":"productivity-and-real-hourly-compensation-since-1950","title":"Productivity and real hourly compensation since 1950","short_title":"Productivity and pay","description":"Annual averages of official nonfarm-business productivity and real hourly compensation indexes, placed on the same 1971 = 100 scale.","question":"Did productivity and real hourly compensation keep moving together?","y_unit":"index","y_label":"Index (1971 = 100)","precision":1,"series":[{"key":"productivity","label":"Labor productivity","color":"#173f78","observation_start_year":1950},{"key":"compensation","label":"Real hourly compensation","color":"#bd2d34","observation_start_year":1950}],"points":[{"label":"1950","year":1950,"productivity":58.9,"compensation":59.5},{"label":"1951","year":1951,"productivity":60.5,"compensation":60},{"label":"1952","year":1952,"productivity":61.6,"compensation":61.9},{"label":"1953","year":1953,"productivity":63.1,"compensation":64.9},{"label":"1954","year":1954,"productivity":64.4,"compensation":66.7},{"label":"1955","year":1955,"productivity":67.1,"compensation":69.3},{"label":"1956","year":1956,"productivity":66.7,"compensation":72.4},{"label":"1957","year":1957,"productivity":68.4,"compensation":74.1},{"label":"1958","year":1958,"productivity":70,"compensation":75},{"label":"1959","year":1959,"productivity":72.5,"compensation":77.2},{"label":"1960","year":1960,"productivity":73.3,"compensation":79.3},{"label":"1961","year":1961,"productivity":75.7,"compensation":81.1},{"label":"1962","year":1962,"productivity":79.2,"compensation":83.3},{"label":"1963","year":1963,"productivity":81.9,"compensation":85.1},{"label":"1964","year":1964,"productivity":84,"compensation":86.4},{"label":"1965","year":1965,"productivity":86.7,"compensation":87.9},{"label":"1966","year":1966,"productivity":89.9,"compensation":90.4},{"label":"1967","year":1967,"productivity":91.5,"compensation":93.1},{"label":"1968","year":1968,"productivity":94.7,"compensation":96},{"label":"1969","year":1969,"productivity":94.9,"compensation":97.3},{"label":"1970","year":1970,"productivity":96.2,"compensation":98.3},{"label":"1971","year":1971,"productivity":100,"compensation":100},{"label":"1972","year":1972,"productivity":103.5,"compensation":103.1},{"label":"1973","year":1973,"productivity":106.7,"compensation":104.5},{"label":"1974","year":1974,"productivity":104.9,"compensation":103},{"label":"1975","year":1975,"productivity":107.7,"compensation":104.2},{"label":"1976","year":1976,"productivity":111.4,"compensation":106.2},{"label":"1977","year":1977,"productivity":113.3,"compensation":107.9},{"label":"1978","year":1978,"productivity":114.9,"compensation":109.5},{"label":"1979","year":1979,"productivity":114.8,"compensation":109.6},{"label":"1980","year":1980,"productivity":114.7,"compensation":109.2},{"label":"1981","year":1981,"productivity":116.4,"compensation":109.2},{"label":"1982","year":1982,"productivity":115.4,"compensation":110.5},{"label":"1983","year":1983,"productivity":120.1,"compensation":110.7},{"label":"1984","year":1984,"productivity":122.8,"compensation":110.9},{"label":"1985","year":1985,"productivity":125,"compensation":112.5},{"label":"1986","year":1986,"productivity":128.7,"compensation":116.9},{"label":"1987","year":1987,"productivity":129.4,"compensation":117.4},{"label":"1988","year":1988,"productivity":131.5,"compensation":119.1},{"label":"1989","year":1989,"productivity":132.7,"compensation":117.5},{"label":"1990","year":1990,"productivity":134.9,"compensation":118.6},{"label":"1991","year":1991,"productivity":137.1,"compensation":119.9},{"label":"1992","year":1992,"productivity":143.2,"compensation":124.2},{"label":"1993","year":1993,"productivity":143.4,"compensation":122.7},{"label":"1994","year":1994,"productivity":144.4,"compensation":121.3},{"label":"1995","year":1995,"productivity":146,"compensation":121.4},{"label":"1996","year":1996,"productivity":149,"compensation":122.3},{"label":"1997","year":1997,"productivity":151.9,"compensation":124.4},{"label":"1998","year":1998,"productivity":157,"compensation":129.8},{"label":"1999","year":1999,"productivity":163.1,"compensation":133},{"label":"2000","year":2000,"productivity":168,"compensation":137.7},{"label":"2001","year":2001,"productivity":172.3,"compensation":139.7},{"label":"2002","year":2002,"productivity":179.7,"compensation":140.7},{"label":"2003","year":2003,"productivity":186.3,"compensation":142.7},{"label":"2004","year":2004,"productivity":191.9,"compensation":145.3},{"label":"2005","year":2005,"productivity":196.1,"compensation":145.7},{"label":"2006","year":2006,"productivity":198,"compensation":146.5},{"label":"2007","year":2007,"productivity":201.2,"compensation":148.4},{"label":"2008","year":2008,"productivity":203.8,"compensation":147.4},{"label":"2009","year":2009,"productivity":212.1,"compensation":149.7},{"label":"2010","year":2010,"productivity":218.8,"compensation":149.8},{"label":"2011","year":2011,"productivity":218.7,"compensation":148.3},{"label":"2012","year":2012,"productivity":220.8,"compensation":148.8},{"label":"2013","year":2013,"productivity":222.1,"compensation":148.2},{"label":"2014","year":2014,"productivity":224.4,"compensation":149.8},{"label":"2015","year":2015,"productivity":227.2,"compensation":154.1},{"label":"2016","year":2016,"productivity":228.6,"compensation":153.9},{"label":"2017","year":2017,"productivity":232,"compensation":156.2},{"label":"2018","year":2018,"productivity":235.3,"compensation":157.6},{"label":"2019","year":2019,"productivity":240.3,"compensation":160.6},{"label":"2020","year":2020,"productivity":253.1,"compensation":171.4},{"label":"2021","year":2021,"productivity":258.3,"compensation":171.6},{"label":"2022","year":2022,"productivity":254.5,"compensation":164.6},{"label":"2023","year":2023,"productivity":259.9,"compensation":164.6},{"label":"2024","year":2024,"productivity":267.5,"compensation":168.5},{"label":"2025","year":2025,"productivity":273.5,"compensation":171.5}],"headline":"274 vs 172","insight":"By 2025, productivity reached 273.5 on the 1971 = 100 scale; real hourly compensation reached 171.5. This chart measures divergence, not a single cause.","methodology":"Election.org averages each complete year of BLS quarterly index observations, then divides every year by its 1971 annual average and multiplies by 100.","source_ids":["fred-ophnfb","fred-comprnfb"],"seo":{"title":"Productivity vs Real Hourly Compensation Since 1950","description":"Compare official U.S. labor productivity and real hourly compensation on a 1971 = 100 scale.","keywords":["1971 productivity wages chart","productivity compensation gap","BLS productivity"]}},{"eyebrow":"What changed around 1971?","category":"1971 data story","chart_type":"line","caveats":["A change near 1971 does not, by itself, identify its cause.","Annual averaging can hide within-year movement.","Series definitions and revisions are controlled by the named publisher."],"featured":false,"reference_years":[{"year":1971,"label":"1971"}],"slug":"labor-share-of-income-since-1950","title":"Labor's share of nonfarm business income since 1950","short_title":"Labor share","description":"The BLS labor-share index shows compensation paid to workers relative to nonfarm business output, normalized to 1971.","question":"How has labor's share changed around the 1971 marker?","y_unit":"index","y_label":"Index (1971 = 100)","precision":1,"series":[{"key":"labor_share","label":"Labor share","color":"#1f7a62","observation_start_year":1950}],"points":[{"label":"1950","year":1950,"labor_share":99.8},{"label":"1951","year":1951,"labor_share":99.3},{"label":"1952","year":1952,"labor_share":100.7},{"label":"1953","year":1953,"labor_share":101.9},{"label":"1954","year":1954,"labor_share":102.1},{"label":"1955","year":1955,"labor_share":99.8},{"label":"1956","year":1956,"labor_share":102.8},{"label":"1957","year":1957,"labor_share":102.8},{"label":"1958","year":1958,"labor_share":102.9},{"label":"1959","year":1959,"labor_share":101.6},{"label":"1960","year":1960,"labor_share":103.6},{"label":"1961","year":1961,"labor_share":102.8},{"label":"1962","year":1962,"labor_share":101.4},{"label":"1963","year":1963,"labor_share":100.6},{"label":"1964","year":1964,"labor_share":99.5},{"label":"1965","year":1965,"labor_share":98.4},{"label":"1966","year":1966,"labor_share":98.3},{"label":"1967","year":1967,"labor_share":99.1},{"label":"1968","year":1968,"labor_share":99.1},{"label":"1969","year":1969,"labor_share":101.1},{"label":"1970","year":1970,"labor_share":102.1},{"label":"1971","year":1971,"labor_share":100},{"label":"1972","year":1972,"labor_share":99.9},{"label":"1973","year":1973,"labor_share":100.7},{"label":"1974","year":1974,"labor_share":101.6},{"label":"1975","year":1975,"labor_share":98.7},{"label":"1976","year":1976,"labor_share":97.5},{"label":"1977","year":1977,"labor_share":97.6},{"label":"1978","year":1978,"labor_share":98.1},{"label":"1979","year":1979,"labor_share":99.4},{"label":"1980","year":1980,"labor_share":100.5},{"label":"1981","year":1981,"labor_share":99.1},{"label":"1982","year":1982,"labor_share":101},{"label":"1983","year":1983,"labor_share":97.9},{"label":"1984","year":1984,"labor_share":97.2},{"label":"1985","year":1985,"labor_share":97.2},{"label":"1986","year":1986,"labor_share":98.4},{"label":"1987","year":1987,"labor_share":99.7},{"label":"1988","year":1988,"labor_share":100.1},{"label":"1989","year":1989,"labor_share":98.5},{"label":"1990","year":1990,"labor_share":99.3},{"label":"1991","year":1991,"labor_share":99.2},{"label":"1992","year":1992,"labor_share":99.2},{"label":"1993","year":1993,"labor_share":98},{"label":"1994","year":1994,"labor_share":96.5},{"label":"1995","year":1995,"labor_share":96.1},{"label":"1996","year":1996,"labor_share":96.1},{"label":"1997","year":1997,"labor_share":96.2},{"label":"1998","year":1998,"labor_share":98.2},{"label":"1999","year":1999,"labor_share":98.2},{"label":"2000","year":2000,"labor_share":100.1},{"label":"2001","year":2001,"labor_share":100.1},{"label":"2002","year":2002,"labor_share":97.4},{"label":"2003","year":2003,"labor_share":96.1},{"label":"2004","year":2004,"labor_share":95.4},{"label":"2005","year":2005,"labor_share":93.6},{"label":"2006","year":2006,"labor_share":93.5},{"label":"2007","year":2007,"labor_share":94},{"label":"2008","year":2008,"labor_share":94.2},{"label":"2009","year":2009,"labor_share":91.4},{"label":"2010","year":2010,"labor_share":89.2},{"label":"2011","year":2011,"labor_share":89.4},{"label":"2012","year":2012,"labor_share":89.2},{"label":"2013","year":2013,"labor_share":88.4},{"label":"2014","year":2014,"labor_share":88.5},{"label":"2015","year":2015,"labor_share":89.4},{"label":"2016","year":2016,"labor_share":89.2},{"label":"2017","year":2017,"labor_share":89.6},{"label":"2018","year":2018,"labor_share":89.5},{"label":"2019","year":2019,"labor_share":89.6},{"label":"2020","year":2020,"labor_share":91.7},{"label":"2021","year":2021,"labor_share":89.9},{"label":"2022","year":2022,"labor_share":87.8},{"label":"2023","year":2023,"labor_share":86.4},{"label":"2024","year":2024,"labor_share":86.7},{"label":"2025","year":2025,"labor_share":86.6}],"headline":"86.6 in 2025","insight":"The latest complete annual average is 86.6 on the 1971 = 100 scale.","methodology":"Election.org averages each complete year of quarterly BLS labor-share index values, then rebases the annual series to 1971 = 100.","source_ids":["fred-prs85006173"],"seo":{"title":"U.S. Labor Share Index Since 1950","description":"Explore the official BLS nonfarm-business labor share index around 1971.","keywords":["labor share 1971","labor income share chart","BLS labor share"]}},{"eyebrow":"What changed around 1971?","category":"1971 data story","chart_type":"line","caveats":["A change near 1971 does not, by itself, identify its cause.","Annual averaging can hide within-year movement.","Series definitions and revisions are controlled by the named publisher."],"featured":false,"reference_years":[{"year":1971,"label":"1971"}],"slug":"consumer-prices-since-1950-1971-index","title":"Consumer prices since 1950","short_title":"Consumer prices","description":"The all-items consumer price index, averaged by year and placed on a 1971 = 100 scale.","question":"How much has the consumer price level changed since 1971?","y_unit":"index","y_label":"Price index (1971 = 100)","precision":1,"series":[{"key":"prices","label":"Consumer price level","color":"#c76e18","observation_start_year":1950}],"points":[{"label":"1950","year":1950,"prices":59.4},{"label":"1951","year":1951,"prices":64.2},{"label":"1952","year":1952,"prices":65.6},{"label":"1953","year":1953,"prices":66.1},{"label":"1954","year":1954,"prices":66.4},{"label":"1955","year":1955,"prices":66.2},{"label":"1956","year":1956,"prices":67.2},{"label":"1957","year":1957,"prices":69.4},{"label":"1958","year":1958,"prices":71.3},{"label":"1959","year":1959,"prices":72},{"label":"1960","year":1960,"prices":73.1},{"label":"1961","year":1961,"prices":73.9},{"label":"1962","year":1962,"prices":74.7},{"label":"1963","year":1963,"prices":75.7},{"label":"1964","year":1964,"prices":76.7},{"label":"1965","year":1965,"prices":77.9},{"label":"1966","year":1966,"prices":80.2},{"label":"1967","year":1967,"prices":82.4},{"label":"1968","year":1968,"prices":85.9},{"label":"1969","year":1969,"prices":90.6},{"label":"1970","year":1970,"prices":95.9},{"label":"1971","year":1971,"prices":100},{"label":"1972","year":1972,"prices":103.3},{"label":"1973","year":1973,"prices":109.7},{"label":"1974","year":1974,"prices":121.8},{"label":"1975","year":1975,"prices":133},{"label":"1976","year":1976,"prices":140.6},{"label":"1977","year":1977,"prices":149.7},{"label":"1978","year":1978,"prices":161.2},{"label":"1979","year":1979,"prices":179.3},{"label":"1980","year":1980,"prices":203.5},{"label":"1981","year":1981,"prices":224.6},{"label":"1982","year":1982,"prices":238.5},{"label":"1983","year":1983,"prices":246},{"label":"1984","year":1984,"prices":256.7},{"label":"1985","year":1985,"prices":265.8},{"label":"1986","year":1986,"prices":271},{"label":"1987","year":1987,"prices":280.7},{"label":"1988","year":1988,"prices":292.2},{"label":"1989","year":1989,"prices":306.2},{"label":"1990","year":1990,"prices":322.7},{"label":"1991","year":1991,"prices":336.4},{"label":"1992","year":1992,"prices":346.6},{"label":"1993","year":1993,"prices":356.9},{"label":"1994","year":1994,"prices":366.1},{"label":"1995","year":1995,"prices":376.4},{"label":"1996","year":1996,"prices":387.5},{"label":"1997","year":1997,"prices":396.5},{"label":"1998","year":1998,"prices":402.7},{"label":"1999","year":1999,"prices":411.5},{"label":"2000","year":2000,"prices":425.3},{"label":"2001","year":2001,"prices":437.3},{"label":"2002","year":2002,"prices":444.3},{"label":"2003","year":2003,"prices":454.5},{"label":"2004","year":2004,"prices":466.6},{"label":"2005","year":2005,"prices":482.3},{"label":"2006","year":2006,"prices":497.9},{"label":"2007","year":2007,"prices":512.2},{"label":"2008","year":2008,"prices":531.7},{"label":"2009","year":2009,"prices":530},{"label":"2010","year":2010,"prices":538.7},{"label":"2011","year":2011,"prices":555.6},{"label":"2012","year":2012,"prices":567.1},{"label":"2013","year":2013,"prices":575.4},{"label":"2014","year":2014,"prices":584.7},{"label":"2015","year":2015,"prices":585.4},{"label":"2016","year":2016,"prices":592.8},{"label":"2017","year":2017,"prices":605.5},{"label":"2018","year":2018,"prices":620.3},{"label":"2019","year":2019,"prices":631.5},{"label":"2020","year":2020,"prices":639.4},{"label":"2021","year":2021,"prices":669.3},{"label":"2022","year":2022,"prices":722.8},{"label":"2023","year":2023,"prices":752.7},{"label":"2024","year":2024,"prices":774.9},{"label":"2025","year":2025,"prices":729}],"headline":"729 in 2025","insight":"The 2025 annual price index was 729.0 when the 1971 annual average is set to 100.","methodology":"Election.org averages the 12 monthly seasonally adjusted CPI observations in each complete year and rebases the annual series to 1971 = 100.","source_ids":["fred-cpiaucsl"],"seo":{"title":"U.S. Consumer Prices Since 1950 on a 1971 Index","description":"See the official BLS consumer price level before and after 1971.","keywords":["inflation since 1971 chart","1971 CPI","consumer price index history"]}},{"eyebrow":"What changed around 1971?","category":"1971 data story","chart_type":"line","caveats":["A change near 1971 does not, by itself, identify its cause.","Annual averaging can hide within-year movement.","Series definitions and revisions are controlled by the named publisher."],"featured":false,"reference_years":[{"year":1971,"label":"1971"}],"slug":"real-median-family-income-since-1953","title":"Real median family income since 1953","short_title":"Family income","description":"Census Bureau median family income after adjustment for inflation, in chained 2024 dollars.","question":"How has the purchasing-power-adjusted income of the median family changed?","y_unit":"dollars","y_label":"Chained 2024 dollars","precision":0,"series":[{"key":"real_family_income","label":"Real median family income","color":"#5c3f92","observation_start_year":1953}],"points":[{"label":"1953","year":1953,"real_family_income":40870},{"label":"1954","year":1954,"real_family_income":39710},{"label":"1955","year":1955,"real_family_income":42340},{"label":"1956","year":1956,"real_family_income":45060},{"label":"1957","year":1957,"real_family_income":45340},{"label":"1958","year":1958,"real_family_income":45260},{"label":"1959","year":1959,"real_family_income":47710},{"label":"1960","year":1960,"real_family_income":48760},{"label":"1961","year":1961,"real_family_income":49270},{"label":"1962","year":1962,"real_family_income":50670},{"label":"1963","year":1963,"real_family_income":52400},{"label":"1964","year":1964,"real_family_income":54550},{"label":"1965","year":1965,"real_family_income":56700},{"label":"1966","year":1966,"real_family_income":59710},{"label":"1967","year":1967,"real_family_income":60950},{"label":"1968","year":1968,"real_family_income":63790},{"label":"1969","year":1969,"real_family_income":66870},{"label":"1970","year":1970,"real_family_income":66700},{"label":"1971","year":1971,"real_family_income":66680},{"label":"1972","year":1972,"real_family_income":69730},{"label":"1973","year":1973,"real_family_income":71240},{"label":"1974","year":1974,"real_family_income":69450},{"label":"1975","year":1975,"real_family_income":68170},{"label":"1976","year":1976,"real_family_income":70310},{"label":"1977","year":1977,"real_family_income":70680},{"label":"1978","year":1978,"real_family_income":72900},{"label":"1979","year":1979,"real_family_income":73940},{"label":"1980","year":1980,"real_family_income":71470},{"label":"1981","year":1981,"real_family_income":69470},{"label":"1982","year":1982,"real_family_income":68570},{"label":"1983","year":1983,"real_family_income":69030},{"label":"1984","year":1984,"real_family_income":71250},{"label":"1985","year":1985,"real_family_income":72300},{"label":"1986","year":1986,"real_family_income":75550},{"label":"1987","year":1987,"real_family_income":76830},{"label":"1988","year":1988,"real_family_income":77010},{"label":"1989","year":1989,"real_family_income":78410},{"label":"1990","year":1990,"real_family_income":77260},{"label":"1991","year":1991,"real_family_income":75790},{"label":"1992","year":1992,"real_family_income":75220},{"label":"1993","year":1993,"real_family_income":74170},{"label":"1994","year":1994,"real_family_income":76170},{"label":"1995","year":1995,"real_family_income":77920},{"label":"1996","year":1996,"real_family_income":79070},{"label":"1997","year":1997,"real_family_income":81560},{"label":"1998","year":1998,"real_family_income":84380},{"label":"1999","year":1999,"real_family_income":86370},{"label":"2000","year":2000,"real_family_income":86740},{"label":"2001","year":2001,"real_family_income":85960},{"label":"2002","year":2002,"real_family_income":85350},{"label":"2003","year":2003,"real_family_income":85230},{"label":"2004","year":2004,"real_family_income":85320},{"label":"2005","year":2005,"real_family_income":86190},{"label":"2006","year":2006,"real_family_income":87060},{"label":"2007","year":2007,"real_family_income":89170},{"label":"2008","year":2008,"real_family_income":86250},{"label":"2009","year":2009,"real_family_income":84580},{"label":"2010","year":2010,"real_family_income":83640},{"label":"2011","year":2011,"real_family_income":82110},{"label":"2012","year":2012,"real_family_income":82230},{"label":"2013","year":2013,"real_family_income":85470},{"label":"2014","year":2014,"real_family_income":85760},{"label":"2015","year":2015,"real_family_income":91060},{"label":"2016","year":2016,"real_family_income":92830},{"label":"2017","year":2017,"real_family_income":95520},{"label":"2018","year":2018,"real_family_income":96730},{"label":"2019","year":2019,"real_family_income":104200},{"label":"2020","year":2020,"real_family_income":101200},{"label":"2021","year":2021,"real_family_income":101700},{"label":"2022","year":2022,"real_family_income":98870},{"label":"2023","year":2023,"real_family_income":103400},{"label":"2024","year":2024,"real_family_income":105800}],"headline":"$105,800 in 2024","insight":"The latest published observation is $105,800 in chained 2024 dollars.","methodology":"Election.org republishes the annual Census Bureau series distributed by FRED; no interpolation is applied.","source_ids":["fred-mefainusa672n"],"seo":{"title":"Real Median U.S. Family Income Since 1953","description":"Track official Census Bureau real median family income before and after 1971.","keywords":["real median family income chart","family income since 1971","Census family income"]}},{"eyebrow":"What changed around 1971?","category":"1971 data story","chart_type":"line","caveats":["A change near 1971 does not, by itself, identify its cause.","Annual averaging can hide within-year movement.","Series definitions and revisions are controlled by the named publisher."],"featured":false,"reference_years":[{"year":1971,"label":"1971"}],"slug":"family-income-gini-index-since-1947","title":"Family income inequality since 1947","short_title":"Family income Gini","description":"The Census Bureau Gini index for U.S. families, where a larger number indicates a less equal distribution of income.","question":"How has measured family-income inequality changed?","y_unit":"ratio","y_label":"Gini index (0–1)","precision":3,"series":[{"key":"gini","label":"Family income Gini","color":"#b82f48","observation_start_year":1947}],"points":[{"label":"1947","year":1947,"gini":0.376},{"label":"1948","year":1948,"gini":0.371},{"label":"1949","year":1949,"gini":0.378},{"label":"1950","year":1950,"gini":0.379},{"label":"1951","year":1951,"gini":0.363},{"label":"1952","year":1952,"gini":0.368},{"label":"1953","year":1953,"gini":0.359},{"label":"1954","year":1954,"gini":0.371},{"label":"1955","year":1955,"gini":0.363},{"label":"1956","year":1956,"gini":0.358},{"label":"1957","year":1957,"gini":0.351},{"label":"1958","year":1958,"gini":0.354},{"label":"1959","year":1959,"gini":0.361},{"label":"1960","year":1960,"gini":0.364},{"label":"1961","year":1961,"gini":0.374},{"label":"1962","year":1962,"gini":0.362},{"label":"1963","year":1963,"gini":0.362},{"label":"1964","year":1964,"gini":0.361},{"label":"1965","year":1965,"gini":0.356},{"label":"1966","year":1966,"gini":0.349},{"label":"1967","year":1967,"gini":0.358},{"label":"1968","year":1968,"gini":0.348},{"label":"1969","year":1969,"gini":0.349},{"label":"1970","year":1970,"gini":0.353},{"label":"1971","year":1971,"gini":0.355},{"label":"1972","year":1972,"gini":0.359},{"label":"1973","year":1973,"gini":0.356},{"label":"1974","year":1974,"gini":0.355},{"label":"1975","year":1975,"gini":0.357},{"label":"1976","year":1976,"gini":0.358},{"label":"1977","year":1977,"gini":0.363},{"label":"1978","year":1978,"gini":0.363},{"label":"1979","year":1979,"gini":0.365},{"label":"1980","year":1980,"gini":0.365},{"label":"1981","year":1981,"gini":0.369},{"label":"1982","year":1982,"gini":0.38},{"label":"1983","year":1983,"gini":0.382},{"label":"1984","year":1984,"gini":0.383},{"label":"1985","year":1985,"gini":0.389},{"label":"1986","year":1986,"gini":0.392},{"label":"1987","year":1987,"gini":0.393},{"label":"1988","year":1988,"gini":0.395},{"label":"1989","year":1989,"gini":0.401},{"label":"1990","year":1990,"gini":0.396},{"label":"1991","year":1991,"gini":0.397},{"label":"1992","year":1992,"gini":0.404},{"label":"1993","year":1993,"gini":0.429},{"label":"1994","year":1994,"gini":0.426},{"label":"1995","year":1995,"gini":0.421},{"label":"1996","year":1996,"gini":0.425},{"label":"1997","year":1997,"gini":0.429},{"label":"1998","year":1998,"gini":0.43},{"label":"1999","year":1999,"gini":0.429},{"label":"2000","year":2000,"gini":0.433},{"label":"2001","year":2001,"gini":0.435},{"label":"2002","year":2002,"gini":0.434},{"label":"2003","year":2003,"gini":0.436},{"label":"2004","year":2004,"gini":0.438},{"label":"2005","year":2005,"gini":0.44},{"label":"2006","year":2006,"gini":0.444},{"label":"2007","year":2007,"gini":0.432},{"label":"2008","year":2008,"gini":0.438},{"label":"2009","year":2009,"gini":0.443},{"label":"2010","year":2010,"gini":0.44},{"label":"2011","year":2011,"gini":0.45},{"label":"2012","year":2012,"gini":0.451},{"label":"2013","year":2013,"gini":0.455},{"label":"2014","year":2014,"gini":0.452},{"label":"2015","year":2015,"gini":0.448},{"label":"2016","year":2016,"gini":0.452},{"label":"2017","year":2017,"gini":0.458},{"label":"2018","year":2018,"gini":0.452},{"label":"2019","year":2019,"gini":0.454},{"label":"2020","year":2020,"gini":0.458},{"label":"2021","year":2021,"gini":0.462},{"label":"2022","year":2022,"gini":0.458},{"label":"2023","year":2023,"gini":0.452},{"label":"2024","year":2024,"gini":0.456}],"headline":"0.456 in 2024","insight":"The latest published family-income Gini observation is 0.456. The series describes distribution; it does not explain why it changed.","methodology":"Election.org republishes the annual Census Bureau family-income Gini series distributed by FRED; no interpolation is applied.","source_ids":["fred-giniallrf"],"seo":{"title":"U.S. Family Income Gini Index Since 1947","description":"Explore the official Census family-income Gini index around 1971.","keywords":["income inequality 1971","US Gini history","family income inequality chart"]}},{"eyebrow":"What changed around 1971?","category":"1971 data story","chart_type":"line","caveats":["A change near 1971 does not, by itself, identify its cause.","Annual averaging can hide within-year movement.","Series definitions and revisions are controlled by the named publisher."],"featured":false,"reference_years":[{"year":1971,"label":"1971"}],"slug":"federal-debt-as-percent-of-gdp-since-1966","title":"Federal debt as a share of GDP since 1966","short_title":"Debt to GDP","description":"Total federal public debt divided by gross domestic product, averaged across each complete year.","question":"How large is federal debt relative to the economy?","y_unit":"percent","y_label":"Percent of GDP","precision":1,"series":[{"key":"debt_gdp","label":"Federal debt / GDP","color":"#173f78","observation_start_year":1966}],"points":[{"label":"1966","year":1966,"debt_gdp":39.7},{"label":"1967","year":1967,"debt_gdp":38.8},{"label":"1968","year":1968,"debt_gdp":37.4},{"label":"1969","year":1969,"debt_gdp":35.4},{"label":"1970","year":1970,"debt_gdp":35.2},{"label":"1971","year":1971,"debt_gdp":34.9},{"label":"1972","year":1972,"debt_gdp":33.9},{"label":"1973","year":1973,"debt_gdp":32.4},{"label":"1974","year":1974,"debt_gdp":31.1},{"label":"1975","year":1975,"debt_gdp":32.2},{"label":"1976","year":1976,"debt_gdp":33.5},{"label":"1977","year":1977,"debt_gdp":33.2},{"label":"1978","year":1978,"debt_gdp":32.4},{"label":"1979","year":1979,"debt_gdp":31.2},{"label":"1980","year":1980,"debt_gdp":31.3},{"label":"1981","year":1981,"debt_gdp":30.9},{"label":"1982","year":1982,"debt_gdp":33.5},{"label":"1983","year":1983,"debt_gdp":36.8},{"label":"1984","year":1984,"debt_gdp":38.4},{"label":"1985","year":1985,"debt_gdp":41.8},{"label":"1986","year":1986,"debt_gdp":45.8},{"label":"1987","year":1987,"debt_gdp":48.1},{"label":"1988","year":1988,"debt_gdp":49.3},{"label":"1989","year":1989,"debt_gdp":50.3},{"label":"1990","year":1990,"debt_gdp":53.6},{"label":"1991","year":1991,"debt_gdp":58.7},{"label":"1992","year":1992,"debt_gdp":61.7},{"label":"1993","year":1993,"debt_gdp":63.9},{"label":"1994","year":1994,"debt_gdp":64.2},{"label":"1995","year":1995,"debt_gdp":64.7},{"label":"1996","year":1996,"debt_gdp":64.5},{"label":"1997","year":1997,"debt_gdp":63.2},{"label":"1998","year":1998,"debt_gdp":61.3},{"label":"1999","year":1999,"debt_gdp":59},{"label":"2000","year":2000,"debt_gdp":55.6},{"label":"2001","year":2001,"debt_gdp":54.9},{"label":"2002","year":2002,"debt_gdp":56.6},{"label":"2003","year":2003,"debt_gdp":58.7},{"label":"2004","year":2004,"debt_gdp":60.1},{"label":"2005","year":2005,"debt_gdp":60.8},{"label":"2006","year":2006,"debt_gdp":61.5},{"label":"2007","year":2007,"debt_gdp":62.1},{"label":"2008","year":2008,"debt_gdp":67.1},{"label":"2009","year":2009,"debt_gdp":81},{"label":"2010","year":2010,"debt_gdp":89},{"label":"2011","year":2011,"debt_gdp":93.9},{"label":"2012","year":2012,"debt_gdp":98.4},{"label":"2013","year":2013,"debt_gdp":99.8},{"label":"2014","year":2014,"debt_gdp":101.1},{"label":"2015","year":2015,"debt_gdp":100.3},{"label":"2016","year":2016,"debt_gdp":104},{"label":"2017","year":2017,"debt_gdp":102.5},{"label":"2018","year":2018,"debt_gdp":103.8},{"label":"2019","year":2019,"debt_gdp":104.4},{"label":"2020","year":2020,"debt_gdp":122.3},{"label":"2021","year":2021,"debt_gdp":120.9},{"label":"2022","year":2022,"debt_gdp":118.4},{"label":"2023","year":2023,"debt_gdp":117.7},{"label":"2024","year":2024,"debt_gdp":120.4},{"label":"2025","year":2025,"debt_gdp":120.7}],"headline":"120.7% in 2025","insight":"The latest complete annual average is 120.7% of GDP.","methodology":"Election.org averages all four quarterly observations in each complete year of the Treasury and BEA ratio distributed by FRED.","source_ids":["fred-gfdegdq188s"],"seo":{"title":"Federal Debt as Percent of GDP Since 1966","description":"Track official U.S. federal debt-to-GDP data around 1971.","keywords":["federal debt GDP chart","debt since 1971","US debt history"]}},{"eyebrow":"What changed around 1971?","category":"1971 data story","chart_type":"line","caveats":["A change near 1971 does not, by itself, identify its cause.","Annual averaging can hide within-year movement.","Series definitions and revisions are controlled by the named publisher."],"featured":false,"reference_years":[{"year":1971,"label":"1971"}],"slug":"personal-saving-rate-since-1959","title":"Personal saving rate since 1959","short_title":"Personal saving","description":"The share of disposable personal income left after personal outlays, averaged across each complete year.","question":"How has the personal saving rate changed?","y_unit":"percent","y_label":"Percent of disposable personal income","precision":1,"series":[{"key":"saving_rate","label":"Personal saving rate","color":"#1f7a62","observation_start_year":1959}],"points":[{"label":"1959","year":1959,"saving_rate":10.3},{"label":"1960","year":1960,"saving_rate":10.1},{"label":"1961","year":1961,"saving_rate":11.3},{"label":"1962","year":1962,"saving_rate":11.2},{"label":"1963","year":1963,"saving_rate":10.7},{"label":"1964","year":1964,"saving_rate":11.6},{"label":"1965","year":1965,"saving_rate":11.4},{"label":"1966","year":1966,"saving_rate":11.2},{"label":"1967","year":1967,"saving_rate":12.3},{"label":"1968","year":1968,"saving_rate":11.3},{"label":"1969","year":1969,"saving_rate":10.9},{"label":"1970","year":1970,"saving_rate":12.8},{"label":"1971","year":1971,"saving_rate":13.5},{"label":"1972","year":1972,"saving_rate":12.3},{"label":"1973","year":1973,"saving_rate":13.5},{"label":"1974","year":1974,"saving_rate":13.3},{"label":"1975","year":1975,"saving_rate":13.4},{"label":"1976","year":1976,"saving_rate":11.6},{"label":"1977","year":1977,"saving_rate":10.7},{"label":"1978","year":1978,"saving_rate":10.7},{"label":"1979","year":1979,"saving_rate":10.3},{"label":"1980","year":1980,"saving_rate":11.1},{"label":"1981","year":1981,"saving_rate":11.7},{"label":"1982","year":1982,"saving_rate":12},{"label":"1983","year":1983,"saving_rate":10.1},{"label":"1984","year":1984,"saving_rate":11.2},{"label":"1985","year":1985,"saving_rate":9.1},{"label":"1986","year":1986,"saving_rate":8.8},{"label":"1987","year":1987,"saving_rate":7.5},{"label":"1988","year":1988,"saving_rate":8.4},{"label":"1989","year":1989,"saving_rate":8.3},{"label":"1990","year":1990,"saving_rate":8.4},{"label":"1991","year":1991,"saving_rate":8.9},{"label":"1992","year":1992,"saving_rate":9.4},{"label":"1993","year":1993,"saving_rate":7.8},{"label":"1994","year":1994,"saving_rate":6.8},{"label":"1995","year":1995,"saving_rate":6.9},{"label":"1996","year":1996,"saving_rate":6.3},{"label":"1997","year":1997,"saving_rate":6},{"label":"1998","year":1998,"saving_rate":6.5},{"label":"1999","year":1999,"saving_rate":4.6},{"label":"2000","year":2000,"saving_rate":4.3},{"label":"2001","year":2001,"saving_rate":4.7},{"label":"2002","year":2002,"saving_rate":5.6},{"label":"2003","year":2003,"saving_rate":5.2},{"label":"2004","year":2004,"saving_rate":4.7},{"label":"2005","year":2005,"saving_rate":2.3},{"label":"2006","year":2006,"saving_rate":2.8},{"label":"2007","year":2007,"saving_rate":2.5},{"label":"2008","year":2008,"saving_rate":4.1},{"label":"2009","year":2009,"saving_rate":5.7},{"label":"2010","year":2010,"saving_rate":5.9},{"label":"2011","year":2011,"saving_rate":6.6},{"label":"2012","year":2012,"saving_rate":7.9},{"label":"2013","year":2013,"saving_rate":5},{"label":"2014","year":2014,"saving_rate":5.5},{"label":"2015","year":2015,"saving_rate":5.8},{"label":"2016","year":2016,"saving_rate":5.4},{"label":"2017","year":2017,"saving_rate":5.8},{"label":"2018","year":2018,"saving_rate":6.4},{"label":"2019","year":2019,"saving_rate":7.3},{"label":"2020","year":2020,"saving_rate":15.1},{"label":"2021","year":2021,"saving_rate":11.3},{"label":"2022","year":2022,"saving_rate":3.3},{"label":"2023","year":2023,"saving_rate":5.6},{"label":"2024","year":2024,"saving_rate":5.4},{"label":"2025","year":2025,"saving_rate":4.6}],"headline":"4.6% in 2025","insight":"The latest complete annual average is 4.6% of disposable personal income.","methodology":"Election.org averages all 12 monthly BEA personal-saving-rate observations in each complete year.","source_ids":["fred-psavert"],"seo":{"title":"U.S. Personal Saving Rate Since 1959","description":"Explore the official BEA personal saving rate before and after 1971.","keywords":["saving rate since 1971","personal saving history","BEA saving rate chart"]}}]}