Income growth has been vastly unequal: Change in real annual household income, by income group, 1979–2015
| Top 1% | Bottom 90% | Lowest quitile | Lowest quintile (market income only) | Bottom 90% (Market income only) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| 1980 | -4% | -3% | -1% | -4% | -3% |
| 1981 | -5% | -3% | -2% | -5% | -3% |
| 1982 | 1% | -4% | -3% | -8% | -4% |
| 1983 | 10% | -5% | -6% | -12% | -5% |
| 1984 | 21% | 0% | -4% | -6% | 0% |
| 1985 | 31% | 0% | -3% | -6% | 0% |
| 1986 | 70% | 3% | -2% | -7% | 3% |
| 1987 | 37% | 3% | -3% | -11% | 2% |
| 1988 | 73% | 4% | 0% | -8% | 3% |
| 1989 | 60% | 6% | 5% | -3% | 4% |
| 1990 | 54% | 6% | 9% | 0% | 5% |
| 1991 | 38% | 5% | 13% | 0% | 4% |
| 1992 | 56% | 7% | 17% | 1% | 4% |
| 1993 | 49% | 8% | 20% | 1% | 4% |
| 1994 | 53% | 9% | 21% | 0% | 5% |
| 1995 | 71% | 13% | 26% | 8% | 9% |
| 1996 | 90% | 14% | 26% | 8% | 11% |
| 1997 | 118% | 17% | 27% | 14% | 14% |
| 1998 | 147% | 22% | 34% | 22% | 18% |
| 1999 | 170% | 26% | 36% | 26% | 22% |
| 2000 | 198% | 27% | 36% | 25% | 23% |
| 2001 | 137% | 26% | 38% | 23% | 22% |
| 2002 | 110% | 25% | 40% | 21% | 19% |
| 2003 | 125% | 26% | 42% | 20% | 19% |
| 2004 | 169% | 30% | 44% | 21% | 23% |
| 2005 | 226% | 32% | 47% | 25% | 25% |
| 2006 | 252% | 35% | 51% | 31% | 27% |
| 2007 | 271% | 39% | 57% | 40% | 31% |
| 2008 | 201% | 36% | 62% | 37% | 27% |
| 2009 | 135% | 34% | 67% | 31% | 24% |
| 2010 | 172% | 35% | 68% | 32% | 24% |
| 2011 | 171% | 34% | 65% | 30% | 23% |
| 2012 | 235% | 34% | 62% | 24% | 23% |
| 2013 | 180% | 37% | 65% | 29% | 25% |
| 2014 | 217% | 40% | 70% | 26% | 27% |
| 2015 | 229% | 46% | 79% | 32% | 32% |
Note: Data are for comprehensive income, except where indicated. Shaded areas denote recessions.
Source: Authors' analysis of data from the Congressional Budget Office (2017)
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