The income gap between rich and poor has widened astronomically in the past half century, but the gap between the rich and the middle class has widened the most.
While the income gap between rich and poor has widened astronomically since 1967, the gap between the rich and the middle class has widened the most.
In 1967, those in the lowest percentile of American earners made a median salary of $9,300. By 2010, that was up to $11,900, a 28 percent increase (measured in 2010 dollars).
The richest Americans, those in the 90th percentile, went from making a median of $85,800 in 1967 to $138,900 – a 62 percent increase. Median income households saw real earnings go from $40,800 in 1967 to $49,400, just a 21 percent increase.
Check out our infographic for more on the income disparity among the classes. See “What Do Others Say?” for more views, then add to the discussion below. What do you think about income disparity? Does it have you discouraged? Or are you still trying to make it into the upper echelons of income?