Inequality in America -- 2011

Your fun facts on inequality for 2011.* 

Median income for 2010	$26,364
Median income for 2007 (in 2010 dollars)	$27,034
Percentage increase in median income from 2007 to 2010	-2.5%
Percentage increase in number of individuals making more than $1,000,000 from 2009 to 2010	18%
Percentage of the gain in wealth since 1983 which went to the top 1%	40.2%
Percentage of the gain in wealth since 1983 which went to the top 5%	81.7%
Percentage of the gain in wealth since 1983 which went to the bottom 60%	-7.5%

From the Economic Policy Institute

Median household net worth -- 2007	$125,000
Median household net worth – 2009	$96,000
Percentage increase in median household net worth from 2007 to 2009	-23.2%
Percentage increase in median household net worth for members of the House of Representatives, 1984 to 2009 (excluding housing)	158.9%
Percentage increase in median household net worth for the rest of America, 1984 to 2009 (excluding housing)	-0.004%
Percentage of all households with no or negative net worth	24.6%
Percentage of black households with no or negative net worth	39.9%
Median household net worth for white families	$97,900
Median household net worth for black families	$2,200
Ratio of top 1% household net worth to median household net worth	225:1

Years in which there was a greater disparity

0

Years in which there was a greater disparity

0

From The State of WorkingAmerica's Wealth: 2011
by Sylvia Allegretto (Economic Policy Institute)

Home equity as a percentage of home value – Q1, 2006	59.5%
Home equity as a percentage of home value – Q4, 2009	36.2%
Number of years in which the home equity percentage was less than 50%	0

From The State of WorkingAmerica's Wealth: 2011
by Sylvia Allegretto (Economic Policy Institute)

Percentage of the nation’s wealth held by the top 5%	63.9%
Percentage of American households in 2007 which owned no stocks at all (either directly, or through mutual funds or 401(k) plans)	49.1%
Percentage of American households in 2007 with direct ownership of stocks	17.9%
Average earned income for the top 1% in 2010	$1,140,044.76
Total aggregate earned income for the top 1% in 2010	$389,732,281,801.22
Percentage of the total aggregate earned income for the top 1% which was not subject to Social Security taxes	90.6%

Hoping next year is better for all of us. Even the 1%.


* Links are to reports from the Federal Reserve, the Social Security Administration, the Economic Policy Institute and a Washington Post article. In addition, we performed some basic math to come up with some of the numbers, such as the percentage decrease in median income from 2007 to 2010, and aggregate earned income figures.