Data report · 2026
The state of American money in 2026
Five figures that describe US household money in 2026, each computed directly from the public data behind the calculators on this site. Each figure is dated, cites its primary source, and refreshes when the underlying data does.
A dollar keeps shrinking
A dollar from the year 2000 buys about $0.51 of goods today. Put the other way, it takes roughly $1.96 now to buy what one dollar bought in 2000. Inflation over the last year ran about 3.5%, measured by the Consumer Price Index through 2026-06. The erosion is quiet but relentless, which is why cash left idle loses value even when the balance never drops.
Mortgage rates are near their long-run normal
The 30-year fixed rate is 6.49% as of 2026-07-09. That is far below the 18.63% peak of 1981, and well above the 2.65% low of 2021. What feels high by the standard of the pandemic years is close to the average of the last half-century.
Americans save far less than they used to
The personal saving rate is about 3.0% of disposable income, down from roughly 12% across the 1970s. It briefly hit 31.8% in 2020-04 when spending stopped, then fell back. A lower saving rate leaves households thinner buffers against a shock.
Wages rose, but prices ate most of it
Average hourly earnings are up about 88% in dollar terms since 2006. After adjusting for inflation, the real gain is only about 12.8%. Most of the raise on the paycheck was cancelled by the higher prices it had to cover.
Where you live changes what you keep
On a $75,000 salary, a single filer keeps about $61,593 in Alaska and about $56,881 in Oregon. That is a spread of roughly $4,712 a year on the same pay, driven entirely by state income tax.
The numbers, in one table
| Measure | 2026 figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| A 2000 dollar buys | $0.51 today | Prices are up about 96% since 2000 (CPI-U through 2026-06). |
| 30-year mortgage rate | 6.49% | Down from the 18.63% peak in 1981, up from the 2.65% low in 2021. |
| Personal saving rate | 3.0% | Down from about 12% across the 1970s. It spiked to 31.8% in 2020-04. |
| Real hourly wages since 2006 | +12.8% | Pay rose 88% in dollars, but only 12.8% after inflation. |
| Take-home spread by state | $4,712 a year | On $75,000, Alaska keeps $61,593 and Oregon keeps $56,881. |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (CPI-U, average hourly earnings); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey; U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis and FRED (personal saving rate); Honest Figures take-home engine on IRS 2026 figures plus Tax Foundation state rates. Computed 2026-07-15.
General information, not financial advice. Every figure is computed from the cited public series and updates when that data refreshes. State take-home figures are ranking-grade estimates.