America's Housing Affordability & Cost of Living Challenge
Comprehensive analysis of why American families are struggling with record housing costs, inflation, and wage stagnation in 2025.
74%
Increase in average home prices since 2015
41%
Of American households now rent vs. own
$22K
Extra annual income needed to maintain 2015 purchasing power
7.8×
Median home price to median income ratio in major metro areas
Interactive Wealth Inequality Visualization Tool for the United States
Our interactive wealth inequality data visualization tool presents real economic data from the Federal Reserve, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Census Bureau, allowing you to explore how wealth is distributed across different income groups in America.
This comprehensive tool lets you compare how Americans at different income levels spend their money, examine historical wealth distribution trends from 1995-2025, understand the real-life impact of economic disparity, and see how many work hours are required to afford basic necessities across income groups.
Use the visualization below to explore US wealth inequality data interactively. Adjust the income slider, select different tabs, and discover how economic realities differ dramatically across American households.
Interactive US Wealth Inequality Visualizer Tool
See the real impact of America's wealth gap in this interactive data tool. Compare income groups, explore historical trends since 1995, and understand how economic disparities affect different American households in their daily lives.
How Different Income Groups Spend Their Money
Select an income group below to see how their budget breaks down across essentials and discretionary spending.
Budget Breakdown
Selected Expense Comparison
Key Insight:
Low-income families in the United States spend nearly 60% of their income on housing alone, while facing healthcare costs that consume another 28% of their budget. This leaves almost nothing for savings or discretionary spending, creating a poverty trap that severely limits economic mobility and makes building wealth nearly impossible.
Source: Analysis based on Federal Reserve data, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census Bureau, and Department of Housing and Urban Development reports (2020-2025).
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Household Cost Comparison (2023)
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Disclaimer:
Analysis and insights provided are for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice.