Money Mood · US · 2026
How America really feels about money
How does America feel about pay and taxes?
Money is the thing everyone thinks about and no one talks about. This is America's anonymous money mood — vote on the questions below (no signup, nothing saved about you) and see how the country answers. Underneath the feelings sit the real numbers: median individual income is $53,010, yet most people take home far less than their gross once federal tax, state tax and FICA come out.
Verified 12 August 2026
Vote: how are you feeling?
Do you feel financially secure right now?
Did your last raise actually change how you live?
How do you feel when you see the taxes on your paycheck?
What would make the biggest difference to you right now?
The real numbers behind the mood
Feelings are one thing; here's what's actually true about US pay in 2026, verified against official sources:
- The median individual income is $53,010 (US Census Bureau CPS ASEC 2025 (income year 2024)) — half of earners make less than this.
- Take-home is lower once federal tax, state tax and FICA come out — and it varies a lot by state. See your real number on the paycheck calculator.
- A raise is taxed at your marginal rate, not your average — which is why it feels smaller than expected. See how much of your next $1 you keep.
- The federal poverty line for a family of four is $32,150 (HHS, 2025) — so the same salary can be comfortable for one person and tight for a family.
See where you personally stand
The mood is collective; your position is personal. These tools put real numbers on where you actually sit:
Votes are anonymous and stored only on your own device — we don't collect anything about you. Baseline results are seeded to illustrate the feature while the community grows.