Ballpark — September 24, 2026
Answers to that day's 5 daily estimation questions.
Annual salary of a rank-and-file member of Congress
174,000 USD
Leadership positions receive higher salaries.
Median U.S. household income in 2024
~83,725 USD
Half of households had more money income and half had less.
Mean net worth of a U.S. family in 2022
~1.1 million USD
Very wealthy families pull the arithmetic mean sharply upward.
Median net worth of a U.S. family in 2022
~193,000 USD
Net worth is assets minus debts, measured in 2022 dollars.
Average in-state tuition at a U.S. public four-year college in 2024–25
~11,600 USD
This is the sticker price before grants and excludes housing and food.