INCOME 1997
Table B. Selected Measures of Household Income Dispersion: 1967 to 1997 |
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| (Income in 1997 dollars) |
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| Measures of Income Dispersion |
1997 |
1996 |
1995 1/ |
1990 |
1985 |
1980 2/ |
1975 3/ |
1970 |
1968 |
1967 |
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| Household Income at Selected Percentiles |
| |
| 20th percentile upper limit |
15,400 |
15,107 |
15,165 |
15,350 |
14,916 |
14,736 |
14,351 |
14,328 |
14,147 |
13,264 |
| 50th (median) |
37,005 |
36,306 |
35,887 |
36,770 |
35,229 |
34,538 |
33,699 |
33,942 |
32,964 |
31,583 |
| 80th percentile upper limit |
71,500 |
69,576 |
68,585 |
67,792 |
65,347 |
61,821 |
58,534 |
56,976 |
54,017 |
52,355 |
| 95th percentile lower limit |
126,550 |
122,283 |
119,006 |
116,351 |
109,282 |
100,434 |
93,333 |
90,074 |
84,507 |
84,008 |
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| Household Income Ratios of Selected Percentiles |
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| 95th/20th |
8.22 |
8.09 |
7.85 |
7.58 |
7.33 |
6.82 |
6.50 |
6.29 |
5.97 |
6.33 |
| 95th/50th |
3.42 |
3.37 |
3.32 |
3.16 |
3.10 |
2.91 |
2.77 |
2.65 |
2.56 |
2.66 |
| 80th/50th |
1.93 |
1.92 |
1.91 |
1.84 |
1.85 |
1.79 |
1.74 |
1.68 |
1.64 |
1.66 |
| 80th/20th |
4.64 |
4.61 |
4.52 |
4.42 |
4.38 |
4.20 |
4.08 |
3.98 |
3.82 |
3.95 |
| 20th/50th |
0.42 |
0.42 |
0.42 |
0.42 |
0.42 |
0.43 |
0.43 |
0.42 |
0.43 |
0.42 |
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| Mean Household Income of Quintiles |
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| Lowest quintile |
8,872 |
8,793 |
8,794 |
8,835 |
8,647 |
8,743 |
8,665 |
7,885 |
7,799 |
7,189 |
| Second quintile |
22,098 |
21,581 |
21,481 |
22,141 |
21,375 |
21,099 |
20,574 |
20,966 |
20,614 |
19,600 |
| Third quintile |
37,177 |
36,300 |
35,919 |
36,571 |
35,404 |
34,727 |
33,662 |
33,763 |
32,692 |
31,295 |
| Fourth quintile |
57,582 |
56,182 |
55,216 |
55,139 |
53,242 |
51,132 |
48,884 |
47,594 |
45,608 |
43,786 |
| Highest quintile |
122,764 |
118,164 |
115,226 |
107,004 |
98,211 |
89,812 |
85,131 |
84,268 |
79,875 |
79,348 |
| |
| Shares of Household Income of Quintiles |
| |
| Lowest quintile |
3.6 |
3.7 |
3.7 |
3.9 |
4.0 |
4.3 |
4.4 |
4.1 |
4.2 |
4.0 |
| Second quintile |
8.9 |
9.0 |
9.1 |
9.6 |
9.7 |
10.3 |
10.5 |
10.8 |
11.1 |
10.8 |
| Third quintile |
15.0 |
15.1 |
15.2 |
15.9 |
16.3 |
16.9 |
17.1 |
17.4 |
17.5 |
17.3 |
| Fourth quintile |
23.2 |
23.3 |
23.3 |
24.0 |
24.6 |
24.9 |
24.8 |
24.5 |
24.4 |
24.2 |
| Highest quintile |
49.4 |
49.0 |
48.7 |
46.6 |
45.3 |
43.7 |
43.2 |
43.3 |
42.8 |
43.8 |
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| Gini coefficient of income inequality |
0.459 |
0.455 |
0.450 |
0.428 |
0.419 |
0.403 |
0.397 |
0.394 |
0.388 |
0.399 |
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| 1/ Reflects 1990 census population controls first
implemented in 1993, 1990 census sample redesign, a change in data collection method from
paper-pencil to computer-assisted interviewing (CAI), and changes in income reporting
limits. For detailed information concerning the impact of these changes, see Current
Population Reports, Series P60 -191, "A Brief Look at Postwar U.S. Income
Inequality." |
| 2/ Reflects 1980 census population controls first
implemented in March 1980. |
| 3/ Reflects 1970 census population controls first implemented
in March 1972. |
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| Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census, March Current Population
Survey. Data not available prior to 1967. |
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