---
title: "Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile)"
slug: atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile
summary: "Median wage growth in the bottom wage quartile was 3.4% in September 2026, about the same as a year earlier"
category: "Jobs"
unit: percent
frequency: monthly
direction: bidirectional
latest_value: 3.4
latest_period: "2026-09"
trend: stable
last_updated: "2026-10-12T00:00:00Z"
source: "Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta data retrieved via FRED"
source_url: https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FRBATLWGT12MMUMHWGWD1WP
canonical_html: https://americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/
citation_apa: "Kilburn, R. (2026). Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile) [Data set]. American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/"
citation_chicago: "Kilburn, Ross. 2026. \"Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile).\" American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/."
citation_mla: "Kilburn, Ross. \"Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile).\" American Default Research, 2026, americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/."
---

# Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile)

> Median wage growth in the bottom wage quartile was 3.4% in September 2026, about the same as a year earlier

## Current Reading

As of September 2026, Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile) is **3.4%** (stable).

median yearly pay growth, bottom wage quartile, before inflation

## What Changed

- Median wage growth in the bottom wage quartile was 3.4% in September 2026, about the same as the 3.5% in September 2025.
- The lowest since August 2025.
- Nominal: not adjusted for inflation.

## Recent Values

| Period | Value |
|--------|-------|
| 2026-09 | 3.4% |
| 2026-08 | 3.7% |
| 2026-07 | 3.7% |
| 2026-06 | 3.6% |
| 2026-05 | 3.5% |
| 2026-04 | 3.6% |
| 2026-03 | 3.5% |
| 2026-02 | 3.5% |
| 2026-01 | 3.5% |
| 2025-12 | 3.5% |
| 2025-11 | 3.6% |
| 2025-09 | 3.5% |

## Historical Context

- Peak since 1997: **7.8%** in October 2022
- Low since 1997: **1%** in February 2012
- Pre-pandemic average (2015-01 – 2019-12): **3.9%**
- Post-pandemic average (2020-01 – 2024-12): **5.57%**

## Methodology

This indicator carries monthly observations and is interpreted as moving in both directions against household distress, with no single end of the range reading as the distressed one. Source: Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta data retrieved via FRED.
Automation: collected automatically on the daily refresh pipeline, with no hand entry.

## Source

Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta data retrieved via FRED — [https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FRBATLWGT12MMUMHWGWD1WP](https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/FRBATLWGT12MMUMHWGWD1WP)

Data retrieved: 2026-10-12T00:00:00Z

## Related Indicators

- [the-k-shape](https://americandefault.org/indicators/the-k-shape/)

## Machine-Readable Endpoints

- HTML page: https://americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/
- JSON: https://americandefault.org/api/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile.json
- CSV: https://americandefault.org/api/downloads/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile.csv
- BibTeX: https://americandefault.org/citations/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile.bib
- RIS: https://americandefault.org/citations/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile.ris

## Citation

**APA 7th**

    Kilburn, R. (2026). Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile) [Data set]. American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/

**Chicago (author-date)**

    Kilburn, Ross. 2026. "Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile)." American Default Research. https://americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/.

**MLA 9th**

    Kilburn, Ross. "Atlanta Fed Wage Growth Tracker (1st Quartile)." American Default Research, 2026, americandefault.org/indicators/atlanta-fed-wage-growth-tracker-1st-quartile/.

Use **American Default Research** as the institutional name in source lists, bibliographies, and press citations. **American Default** is the brand and URL form. **American Distress Index (ADI)** is the product name for the national composite score.