schall drives into town to work as a nurse. has your salary gone up?t to match the prices. >> reporter: schalls' plight is representative of average american workers. incomes rose nearly 5% last year, but inflation was at 7%. >> wages are going up, but they're not going up as much as we've seen the inflation rate. >> reporter: and inflation isn't just outrunning worker paychecks. how about retired seniors, living on so-called fixed incomes-- paychecks that never rise? >> they can't just get out and get themselves a big job that can pay them a lot of money. >> reporter: some do get small jobs. 71-year-old inilda pena works part-time at the hartford senior center to help cover her rising food costs. >> i'm diabetic and i have to have a certain diet. lettuce and vegetables. those things are expensive. >> reporter: but the social security payment went up this year. >> yeah, but not-- not that much. >> reporter: in fact, payments from social security-- which provides most of the typical senior's income-- went up 5.9% in january, the largest cost of living a