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  The US distribution of income
     
 

Introduction to Sociology

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Share (%) of Aggregate Income Received 
by Each Fifth and Top 5 Percent of Families,
1947-1997
  Lowest Second Third Fourth Highest Top 5
Fifth Fifth Fifth Fifth Fifth 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 25/ 4.4 10.1 15.8 23.2 46.5 20
1994 24/ 4.2 10 15.7 23.3 46.9 20.1
1993 23/ 4.1 9.9 15.7 23.3 47 20.3
1992 22/ 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 21/ 4.6 10.7 16.8 24 43.8 17.2
1986 4.7 10.9 16.9 24.1 43.4 16.5
1985 20/ 4.8 11 16.9 24.3 43.1 16.1
1984 4.8 11.1 17.1 24.5 42.5 15.4
1983 19/ 4.9 11.2 17.2 24.5 42.4 15.3
1982 5 11.3 17.2 24.4 42.2 15.3
1981 5.3 11.4 17.5 24.6 41.2 14.4
1980 5.3 11.6 17.6 24.4 41.1 14.6
1979 18/ 5.4 11.6 17.5 24.1 41.4 15.3
1978 5.4 11.7 17.6 24.2 41.1 15.1
1977 5.5 11.7 17.6 24.3 40.9 14.9
1976 17/ 5.6 11.9 17.7 24.2 40.7 14.9
1975 16/ 5.6 11.9 17.7 24.2 40.7 14.9
1974 16/15/ 5.7 12 17.6 24.1 40.6 14.8
1973 5.5 11.9 17.5 24 41.1 15.5
1972 14/ 5.5 11.9 17.5 23.9 41.4 15.9
1971 13/ 5.5 12 17.6 23.8 41.1 15.7
1970 5.4 12.2 17.6 23.8 40.9 15.6
1969 5.6 12.4 17.7 23.7 40.6 15.6
1968 5.6 12.4 17.7 23.7 40.5 15.6
1967 12/ 5.4 12.2 17.5 23.5 41.4 16.4
1966 11/ 5.6 12.4 17.8 23.8 40.5 15.6
1965 10/ 5.2 12.2 17.8 23.9 40.9 15.5
1964 5.1 12 17.7 24 41.2 15.9
1963 5 12.1 17.7 24 41.2 15.8
1962 9/ 5 12.1 17.6 24 41.3 15.7
1961 8/ 4.7 11.9 17.5 23.8 42.2 16.6
1960 4.8 12.2 17.8 24 41.3 15.9
1959 4.9 12.3 17.9 23.8 41.1 15.9
1958 5 12.5 18 23.9 40.6 15.4
1957 5.1 12.7 18.1 23.8 40.4 15.6
1956 5 12.5 17.9 23.7 41 16.1
1955 4.8 12.3 17.8 23.7 41.3 16.4
1954 4.5 12.1 17.7 23.9 41.8 16.3
1953 4.7 12.5 18 23.9 40.9 15.7
1952 7/ 4.9 12.3 17.4 23.4 41.9 17.4
1951 5 12.4 17.6 23.4 41.6 16.8
1950 4.5 12 17.4 23.4 42.7 17.3
1949 6/ 4.5 11.9 17.3 23.5 42.7 16.9
1948 4.9 12.1 17.3 23.2 42.4 17.1
1947 5/ 5 11.9 17 23.1 43 17.5


5/ Based on 1940 census population controls.
6/ Implementation of expanded income questions to show wage and salary, farm self-employment, nonfarm self-employment and all other nonearned income separately.
7/ Implementation of 1950 census population controls.
8/ Implementation of first hotdeck procedure to impute missing income entries (all income data imputed if any missing). Introduction of 1960 census sample design.
9/ Full implementation of 1960 census-based sample design and population controls.
10/ Implementation of new procedures to impute missing data only.
11/ Questionnaire expanded to ask eight income questions.
12/ Implementation of a new March CPS processing system.
13/ Introduction of 1970 census sample design and population controls.
14/ Full implementation of 1970 census-based sample design.
15/ Implementation of a new March CPS processing system. Questionnaire expanded to ask 11 income questions.
16/ These estimates were derived using Pareto interpolation and may differ from published data which were derived using linear interpolation.
17/ First year medians are derived using both Pareto and linear interpolation. Prior to this year all medians were derived using linear interpolation.
18/ Implementation of 1980 census population controls. Questionnaire expanded to show 27 possible values from 51 possible sources of income.
19/ Implementation of Hispanic population weighting controls and introduction of 1980 census sample design.
20/ Recording of amounts for earnings from longest job increased to $299,999. Full implementation of 1980 census-based sample design.
21/ Implementation of a new March CPS processing system.
22/ Implementation of 1990 census population controls.
23/ Data collection method changed from paper and pencil to computer-assisted interviewing. In addition, the March 1994 income supplement was revised to allow for the coding of different income amounts on selected questionnaire items. Limits either increased or decreased in the following categories: earnings increased to $999,999; social security increased to $49,999; supplemental security income and public assistance increased to $24,999; veterans' benefits increased to $99,999; child support and alimony decreased to $49,999.
24/ Introduction of 1990 census sample design.
25/ Full implementation of the 1990 census-based sample design and metropolitan definitions, 7,000 household sample reduction, and revised race edits.

Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census

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