Incomes rose 6.8% in the U.S. last year—but a closer look shows there may not be much to cheer about

The real median household income was $68,700 in 2019, up 6.8% from the year prior, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau released Tuesday. But a deeper dive into the data reveals that the growth may not be as robust on second glance and most Americans have barely broken even from the losses suffered during the last recession.