Breakdown of Income share Top 5% (1917-2002)

by Catherine Mulbrandon

in Growth of Income Inequality, VE Infographics

Taking a closer look at the share of income going to the Top 5%, we see that the more dramatic change in the income share can be found among the Top 1% of income earners. Beginning with a high of almost 20% of total income of the United States going to the Top 1% then dropping to a low of 8% and creeping back up to 17%.

At the same time the share going to other 4% is more consistent, between 13% to 15%.
Top 5% Income

Datasource: Excel file produced by Emmanual Saez and Thomas Piketty

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  • Herman monk

    What is the range of income in the top 5% fo US wage earners?

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