Income share held by lowest 20% in United States of America
United States of America: Income share held by lowest 20% was 5.1% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Income share held by lowest 20% in United States of America, 1963–2024
Source: World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
Analysis
The most recent figure for income share held by lowest 20% in United States of America is 5.1%, measured in 2024.
The figure is up 2.0% on the previous year and down 1.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, income share held by lowest 20% in United States of America peaked at 6.4% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 5.0%, in 2023.
That places United States of America 106th out of 123 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Income share held by lowest 20% in United States of America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 5.8% | — |
| 1964 | 5.7% | -1.7% |
| 1965 | 5.8% | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 5.7% | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 5.8% | +1.8% |
| 1968 | 6.0% | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 6.1% | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 5.9% | -3.3% |
| 1971 | 5.9% | +0.0% |
| 1972 | 5.8% | -1.7% |
| 1973 | 5.9% | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 6.1% | +3.4% |
| 1975 | 6.0% | -1.6% |
| 1976 | 6.1% | +1.7% |
| 1977 | 6.1% | +0.0% |
| 1978 | 6.2% | +1.6% |
| 1979 | 6.4% | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 6.4% | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 6.2% | -3.1% |
| 1982 | 5.8% | -6.5% |
| 1983 | 5.5% | -5.2% |
| 1984 | 5.6% | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 5.5% | -1.8% |
| 1987 | 5.6% | +1.8% |
| 1988 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 5.6% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 5.5% | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 5.2% | -5.5% |
| 1994 | 5.4% | +3.8% |
| 1995 | 5.5% | +1.9% |
| 1996 | 5.4% | -1.8% |
| 1997 | 5.4% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 5.4% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 5.5% | +1.9% |
| 2000 | 5.5% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 5.4% | -1.8% |
| 2002 | 5.3% | -1.9% |
| 2003 | 5.2% | -1.9% |
| 2004 | 5.3% | +1.9% |
| 2005 | 5.2% | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 5.2% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 5.2% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 5.2% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 5.4% | +3.8% |
| 2010 | 5.3% | -1.9% |
| 2011 | 5.2% | -1.9% |
| 2012 | 5.2% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 5.3% | +1.9% |
| 2014 | 5.2% | -1.9% |
| 2015 | 5.3% | +1.9% |
| 2016 | 5.2% | -1.9% |
| 2017 | 5.1% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 5.1% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 5.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 5.6% | +9.8% |
| 2021 | 6.0% | +7.1% |
| 2022 | 5.1% | -15.0% |
| 2023 | 5.0% | -2.0% |
| 2024 | 5.1% | +2.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.8% | 5.7% | 6.1% | 7 |
| 1970s | 6.0% | 5.8% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.7% | 5.5% | 6.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 5.5% | 5.2% | 5.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 5.2% | 5.1% | 5.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.4% | 5.0% | 6.0% | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More poverty & inequality data for United States of America
- Data deprivation poverty surveys per decade 9 (2025)
- Fertility rate vs the share living in extreme poverty 1.62 (2023)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty 8,414 (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Cereal yield vs extreme poverty, annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2024)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, gaps filled 24.85 (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality 24.85 (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2023)
- Tax revenues vs income inequality, annual growth rate -9.08 % change on previous year (2023)
- Gender inequality index from the human development report 0.169 (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is income share held by lowest 20% in United States of America?
- Income share held by lowest 20% in United States of America was 5.1% in 2024, according to World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ.
- What is the highest income share held by lowest 20% recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 6.4% in 1979.
- What is the lowest income share held by lowest 20% recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.0% in 2023.
- How does United States of America rank for income share held by lowest 20%?
- United States of America ranks 106th out of 123 countries with data for 2024.
- Is income share held by lowest 20% rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 1.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank, Poverty and Inequality Platform. Data are based on primary household survey data obtained from government statistical agencies and World Bank country departments. Data for high-income econ, published as part of Income share held by lowest 20%. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage share of income or consumption is the share that accrues to subgroups of population indicated by deciles or quintiles. Percentage shares by quintile may not sum to 100 because of rounding.