Inequality in the U.S. has has grown steadily since the 1970s, following a flat period after World War II. In 2008, the wealthiest 10 percent earned almost the same amount of income as the rest of the country combined.
| INCOME LEVEL | NUMBER OF PEOPLE | AVERAGE INCOME | OVERALL CHANGE 1970-2008 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Top 0.1% | 152,000 | $5.6 million | +385% |  | |
| Top 0.1-0.5% | 610,000 | $878,139 | +141% |  | |
| Top 0.5-1% | 762,000 | $443,102 | +90% |  | |
| Top 1-5% | 6.0 million | $211,476 | +59% |  | |
| Top 5-10% | 7.6 million | $127,184 | +38% |  | |
| Bottom 90% | 137.2 million | $31,244 | -1% |  | |
*Based on the salary, bonuses and stock options of the three highest-paid officers in the largest 50 firms. ** Calculated from Bureau of Economic Analysis data. NOTE: All figures have been adjusted for inflation.
SOURCES: The World Top Incomes Database and reports by Jon Bakija, Williams College; Adam Cole, U.S. Department of Treasury; Bradley T. Heim, Indiana University; Carola Frydman, MIT Sloan School of Management and NBER; Raven E. Molloy, Federal Reserve Board of Governors; Thomas Piketty, Ehess, Paris; Emmanuel Saez, UC Berkeley and NBER. GRAPHIC: Alicia Parlapiano - The Washington Post. Published June 18, 2011.
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