| Data on the Extent of Inequality in the United States |
The above data are from "The Growing Divide" by Jerry Kloby,Monthly Review, September 1987, pages 1-8. |
| Given the above, you need to asking the following question. Has the extent of inequality increased or decreased since 1985? The tables below answer this question. |
| Distribution of Income 1986-1997 | ||||||
| Shares of Aggregate Income | ||||||
| Year | Lowest fifth | Second fifth | Third fifth | Fourth fifth | Highest fifth | Top 5 percent |
| 1997 | 4.2 | 9.9 | 15.7 | 23 | 47.2 | 20.7 |
| 1996 | 4.2 | 10 | 15.8 | 23.1 | 46.8 | 20.3 |
| 1995 | 4.4 | 10.1 | 15.8 | 23.2 | 46.5 | 20 |
| 1994 | 4.2 | 10 | 15.7 | 23.3 | 46.9 | 20.1 |
| 1993 | 4.1 | 9.9 | 15.7 | 23.3 | 47 | 20.3 |
| 1992 | 4.3 | 10.5 | 16.5 | 24 | 44.7 | 17.6 |
| 1991 | 4.5 | 10.7 | 16.6 | 24.1 | 44.2 | 17.1 |
| 1990 | 4.6 | 10.8 | 16.6 | 23.8 | 44.3 | 17.4 |
| 1989 | 4.6 | 10.6 | 16.5 | 23.7 | 44.6 | 17.9 |
| 1988 | 4.6 | 10.7 | 16.7 | 24 | 44 | 17.2 |
| 1987 | 4.6 | 10.7 | 16.8 | 24 | 43.8 | 17.2 |
| 1986 | 4.7 | 10.9 | 16.9 | 24.1 | 43.4 | 16.5 |
| Source: http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/histinc/f02.html | ||||||