Unequal growth of market-based incomes has harmed middle-class families: Actual growth in market incomes for the middle fifth of U.S. households, and growth that would have prevailed if these incomes had grown along with economywide average, 1979–2015
| Middle-fifth market incomes, actual | Middle-fifth market incomes, if they had grown at overall average rate | |
|---|---|---|
| 1979 | $54,886 | $54,886 |
| 1980 | $52,301 | $52,874 |
| 1981 | $52,020 | $52,779 |
| 1982 | $50,721 | $52,344 |
| 1983 | $49,824 | $52,824 |
| 1984 | $53,027 | $56,196 |
| 1985 | $53,361 | $56,947 |
| 1986 | $54,231 | $60,945 |
| 1987 | $53,937 | $59,453 |
| 1988 | $54,931 | $62,038 |
| 1989 | $55,346 | $62,396 |
| 1990 | $55,580 | $61,977 |
| 1991 | $53,898 | $60,317 |
| 1992 | $54,167 | $61,759 |
| 1993 | $54,287 | $61,905 |
| 1994 | $54,822 | $62,829 |
| 1995 | $56,871 | $65,421 |
| 1996 | $57,459 | $67,580 |
| 1997 | $58,800 | $70,782 |
| 1998 | $61,058 | $74,928 |
| 1999 | $63,202 | $79,037 |
| 2000 | $63,589 | $81,425 |
| 2001 | $62,896 | $76,611 |
| 2002 | $60,772 | $73,085 |
| 2003 | $60,839 | $74,383 |
| 2004 | $62,779 | $78,666 |
| 2005 | $63,755 | $82,746 |
| 2006 | $64,155 | $85,763 |
| 2007 | $66,630 | $87,949 |
| 2008 | $63,800 | $81,749 |
| 2009 | $60,863 | $75,558 |
| 2010 | $60,579 | $77,367 |
| 2011 | $59,710 | $76,887 |
| 2012 | $59,746 | $80,577 |
| 2013 | $61,300 | $79,737 |
| 2014 | $62,694 | $82,812 |
| 2015 | $64,565 | $85,526 |
Notes: Market incomes are incomes before government taxes and transfers.
Source: Congressional Budget Office, The Distribution of Household Income, 2015, November 2018