Incomes of the richest in United States
United States: Incomes of the richest was 20.73 in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
20.73
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
16th
of 113 countries
All-time high
22.29
in 1928
All-time low
10.35
in 1978
Years of data
112
1913–2024
Incomes of the richest in United States, 1913–2024
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
United States recorded 20.73 for incomes of the richest in 2024.
That represents a change of up 9.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, incomes of the richest in United States peaked at 22.29 in 1928 and was at its lowest, 10.35, in 1978.
United States ranks 16th of 113 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 112 years of available data.
Incomes of the richest in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1913 | 20.43 | — |
| 1914 | 20.91 | +2.3% |
| 1915 | 20.29 | -3.0% |
| 1916 | 21.36 | +5.3% |
| 1917 | 21.31 | -0.2% |
| 1918 | 19.68 | -7.6% |
| 1919 | 21.64 | +10.0% |
| 1920 | 18.77 | -13.3% |
| 1921 | 19.15 | +2.0% |
| 1922 | 18.58 | -3.0% |
| 1923 | 17.7 | -4.7% |
| 1924 | 18.47 | +4.4% |
| 1925 | 20.68 | +12.0% |
| 1926 | 21.94 | +6.1% |
| 1927 | 21.26 | -3.1% |
| 1928 | 22.29 | +4.8% |
| 1929 | 22.18 | -0.5% |
| 1930 | 19.06 | -14.1% |
| 1931 | 16.76 | -12.1% |
| 1932 | 16.51 | -1.5% |
| 1933 | 17.51 | +6.1% |
| 1934 | 19.06 | +8.9% |
| 1935 | 19.33 | +1.4% |
| 1936 | 20.94 | +8.3% |
| 1937 | 20.67 | -1.3% |
| 1938 | 18.64 | -9.8% |
| 1939 | 19.57 | +5.0% |
| 1940 | 20.48 | +4.6% |
| 1941 | 21.58 | +5.4% |
| 1942 | 20.59 | -4.6% |
| 1943 | 18.59 | -9.7% |
| 1944 | 15.35 | -17.4% |
| 1945 | 14.25 | -7.2% |
| 1946 | 14.28 | +0.2% |
| 1947 | 14.97 | +4.8% |
| 1948 | 16.31 | +9.0% |
| 1949 | 15.72 | -3.6% |
| 1950 | 16.39 | +4.3% |
| 1951 | 16 | -2.4% |
| 1952 | 14.97 | -6.4% |
| 1953 | 14.01 | -6.4% |
| 1954 | 13.95 | -0.4% |
| 1955 | 14.61 | +4.7% |
| 1956 | 13.84 | -5.3% |
| 1957 | 13.53 | -2.2% |
| 1958 | 12.68 | -6.3% |
| 1959 | 13.21 | +4.2% |
| 1960 | 12.43 | -5.9% |
| 1961 | 12.53 | +0.8% |
| 1962 | 12.84 | +2.5% |
| 1963 | 12.98 | +1.1% |
| 1964 | 13.11 | +1.0% |
| 1965 | 13.03 | -0.6% |
| 1966 | 12.97 | -0.5% |
| 1967 | 12.37 | -4.6% |
| 1968 | 12.61 | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 11.6 | -8.0% |
| 1970 | 10.7 | -7.8% |
| 1971 | 11.05 | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 11.08 | +0.3% |
| 1973 | 10.88 | -1.8% |
| 1974 | 10.37 | -4.7% |
| 1975 | 10.43 | +0.6% |
| 1976 | 10.36 | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 10.58 | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 10.35 | -2.2% |
| 1979 | 10.86 | +4.9% |
| 1980 | 10.42 | -4.1% |
| 1981 | 10.67 | +2.4% |
| 1982 | 10.99 | +3.0% |
| 1983 | 11.5 | +4.6% |
| 1984 | 12.15 | +5.7% |
| 1985 | 12.27 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 11.98 | -2.4% |
| 1987 | 13.24 | +10.5% |
| 1988 | 15.21 | +14.9% |
| 1989 | 14.69 | -3.4% |
| 1990 | 14.71 | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 13.65 | -7.2% |
| 1992 | 14.68 | +7.5% |
| 1993 | 14.15 | -3.6% |
| 1994 | 14.02 | -0.9% |
| 1995 | 14.52 | +3.6% |
| 1996 | 15.25 | +5.0% |
| 1997 | 16 | +4.9% |
| 1998 | 16.32 | +2.0% |
| 1999 | 16.76 | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 17.34 | +3.5% |
| 2001 | 16.59 | -4.3% |
| 2002 | 16.1 | -3.0% |
| 2003 | 16.32 | +1.4% |
| 2004 | 17.06 | +4.5% |
| 2005 | 18.06 | +5.9% |
| 2006 | 18.52 | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 18.38 | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 17.93 | -2.4% |
| 2009 | 16.7 | -6.9% |
| 2010 | 17.89 | +7.1% |
| 2011 | 18.08 | +1.1% |
| 2012 | 19.49 | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 18.46 | -5.3% |
| 2014 | 18.97 | +2.8% |
| 2015 | 18.89 | -0.4% |
| 2016 | 18.66 | -1.2% |
| 2017 | 19.05 | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 19.24 | +1.0% |
| 2019 | 19.04 | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 18.17 | -4.6% |
| 2021 | 19.88 | +9.4% |
| 2022 | 20.73 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | 20.73 | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 20.73 | +0.0% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 20.73 is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.84, 1.8× the median. (45 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1910s | 20.8 | 19.68 | 21.64 | 7 |
| 1920s | 20.1 | 17.7 | 22.29 | 10 |
| 1930s | 18.8 | 16.51 | 20.94 | 10 |
| 1940s | 17.21 | 14.25 | 21.58 | 10 |
| 1950s | 14.32 | 12.68 | 16.39 | 10 |
| 1960s | 12.65 | 11.6 | 13.11 | 10 |
| 1970s | 10.67 | 10.35 | 11.08 | 10 |
| 1980s | 12.31 | 10.42 | 15.21 | 10 |
| 1990s | 15.01 | 13.65 | 16.76 | 10 |
| 2000s | 17.3 | 16.1 | 18.52 | 10 |
| 2010s | 18.78 | 17.89 | 19.49 | 10 |
| 2020s | 20.05 | 18.17 | 20.73 | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is incomes of the richest in United States?
- Incomes of the richest in United States was 20.73 in 2024, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest incomes of the richest recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 22.29 in 1928.
- What is the lowest incomes of the richest recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 10.35 in 1978.
- How does United States rank for incomes of the richest?
- United States ranks 16th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
- Is incomes of the richest rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Incomes of the richest. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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