Comparing Incomes among "quintiles" of the income distribution over time. This table shows us a distribution of all family units in the nation, by income. The table presents the distribution as "quintiles" (in other words, it groups families into 1/5^th sized slices of the population. That is: the lowest fifth = incomes from the bottom to the 20^th percentile, the second fifth = families with incomes from the 20^th percentile to the 40^th percentile and so on.... Note that the table also includes at the right hand side a breakdown of the top quintile.

Lowest Second Third Fourth Highest Top 5 Year fifth fifth fifth fifth fifth percent 1947 $7,447 $17,723 $25,318 $34,403 $64,041 $104,252 1973 $16, 190 $35,069 $51,526 $70,418 $120,818 $182,333 1989 $15,807 $36, 774 $57,131 $82,196 $154, 766 $247,921 2000 $17,590 $40,218 $63,208 $93,156 $195,451 $346,342 2009 $15,289 $37,045 $59,907 $90,962 $189,486 $325,023 1973-00 9% 15% 23% 32% 62% 90% 1973-09 -5.6% 5.6% 16.3% 29.2% 56.8% 78.3%