The average for 2021 based on 71 countries was 27.53 percent. The highest value was in Colombia: 43.7 percent and the lowest value was in Slovakia: 19.1 percent. The indicator is available from 1963 to 2023. Below is a chart for all countries where data are available.

In 2023, just over 50 percent of Americans had an annual household income that was less than 75,000 U.S. dollars. The median household income was 80,610 U.S. dollars in 2023. Income and wealth in the United States After the economic recession in 2009, income inequality in the U.S. is more prominent across many metropolitan areas. The Northeast region is regarded as one of the wealthiest in the country. Maryland, New Jersey, and Massachusetts were among the states with the highest median household income in 2020. In terms of income by race and ethnicity, the average income of Asian households was 94,903 U.S. dollars in 2020, while the median income for Black households was around half of that figure. What is the U.S. poverty threshold? The U.S. Census Bureau annually updates its list of poverty levels. Preliminary estimates show that the average poverty threshold for a family of four people was 26,500 U.S. dollars in 2021, which is around 100 U.S. dollars less than the previous year. There were an estimated 37.9 million people in poverty across the United States in 2021, which was around 11.6 percent of the population. Approximately 19.5 percent of those in poverty were Black, while 8.2 percent were white.

In the first quarter of 2024, almost two-thirds percent of the total wealth in the United States was owned by the top 10 percent of earners. In comparison, the lowest 50 percent of earners only owned 2.5 percent of the total wealth. Income inequality in the U.S. Despite the idea that the United States is a country where hard work and pulling yourself up by your bootstraps will inevitably lead to success, this is often not the case. In 2023, 7.4 percent of U.S. households had an annual income under 15,000 U.S. dollars. With such a small percentage of people in the United States owning such a vast majority of the country’s wealth, the gap between the rich and poor in America remains stark. The top one percent The United States follows closely behind China as the country with the most billionaires in the world. Elon Musk alone held around 219 billion U.S. dollars in 2022. Over the past 50 years, the CEO-to-worker compensation ratio has exploded, causing the gap between rich and poor to grow, with some economists theorizing that this gap is the largest it has been since right before the Great Depression.

Global income is highly unequally divided. While the richest 10 percent earned more than half of the pre-tax national income worldwide, the bottom half earned only eight percent. Global wealth is even more unequally divided.

Algeria: Percent income earned by the top 10 percent of earners: The latest value from 2011 is 22.9 percent, a decline from 26.9 percent in 1995. In comparison, the world average is 28.10 percent, based on data from 77 countries. Historically, the average for Algeria from 1988 to 2011 is 26.47 percent. The minimum value, 22.9 percent, was reached in 2011 while the maximum of 29.6 percent was recorded in 1988.

Graph and download economic data for Income Before Taxes: Income Before Taxes by Deciles of Income Before Taxes: Highest 10 Percent (91st to 100th Percentile) (CXUINCBEFTXLB1511M) from 2014 to 2023 about percentile, tax, income, and USA.

Norway: Percent income earned by the top 10 percent of earners: The latest value from 2019 is 22.4 percent, an increase from 22.2 percent in 2018. In comparison, the world average is 27.07 percent, based on data from 75 countries. Historically, the average for Norway from 1979 to 2019 is 22.12 percent. The minimum value, 20.2 percent, was reached in 1986 while the maximum of 27.1 percent was recorded in 2004.

Graph and download economic data for Income Before Taxes: Wages and Salaries by Deciles of Income Before Taxes: Lowest 10 Percent (1st to 10th Percentile) (CXU900000LB1502M) from 2014 to 2023 about percentile, salaries, tax, wages, income, and USA.

The bottom 50 percent in Russia earned an average of 7.7 thousand euros at purchasing power parity (PPP) before income tax in 2021. To compare, the mean income of the top 10 percent stood at 104.6 thousand euros in the same year. Looking at the percentage distribution of national wealth in the country, the poorest half held only three percent of the total in 2021.

Brazil: Percent income earned by the top 10 percent of earners: The latest value from 2022 is 41 percent, a decline from 41.6 percent in 2021. In comparison, the world average is 29.75 percent, based on data from 28 countries. Historically, the average for Brazil from 1981 to 2022 is 44.53 percent. The minimum value, 39.5 percent, was reached in 2020 while the maximum of 51.1 percent was recorded in 1989.

The statistic shows the income share of the top 10 percent of income earners in total income in selected countries*. The share of the top 10 percent of income earners in Russia was at 31.7 percent of total income in 2009.

In 2023, about 26.9 percent of Asian private households in the U.S. had an annual income of 200,000 U.S. dollars and more. Comparatively, around 13.9 percent of Black households had an annual income under 15,000 U.S. dollars.

This table presents income shares, thresholds, tax shares, and total counts of individual Canadian tax filers, with a focus on high income individuals (95% income threshold, 99% threshold, etc.). Income thresholds are based on national threshold values, regardless of selected geography; for example, the number of Nova Scotians in the top 1% will be calculated as the number of taxfiling Nova Scotians whose total income exceeded the 99% national income threshold. Different definitions of income are available in the table namely market, total, and after-tax income, both with and without capital gains.

Guatemala: Percent income earned by the top 10 percent of earners: The latest value from 2014 is 38 percent, a decline from 43.2 percent in 2006. In comparison, the world average is 28.37 percent, based on data from 80 countries. Historically, the average for Guatemala from 1986 to 2014 is 41.55 percent. The minimum value, 37 percent, was reached in 1998 while the maximum of 45.7 percent was recorded in 1989.

Graph and download economic data for Share of Net Worth Held by the Top 0.1% (99.9th to 100th Wealth Percentiles) (WFRBSTP1300) from Q3 1989 to Q1 2025 about shares, net worth, wealth, percentile, Net, and USA.

Syria: Percent income earned by the top 10 percent of earners: The latest value from 2022 is 21.1 percent, a decline from 31.6 percent in 2009. In comparison, the world average is 29.75 percent, based on data from 28 countries. Historically, the average for Syria from 1996 to 2022 is 28.42 percent. The minimum value, 21.1 percent, was reached in 2022 while the maximum of 31.6 percent was recorded in 2009.

Income share held by highest 10% in United States was reported at 30.4 % in 2023, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. United States - Income share held by highest 10% - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

In Mexico, as of 2022, the bottom 50 percent, which represents the population whose income lied below the median, earned on average 2,076 euros at purchasing power parity (PPP) before income taxes. Meanwhile, the top ten percent had an average earning of 111,484 euros, 53 times over than the average earning of the bottom half. Further, the bottom 50 percent accounted for -0.3 percent of the overall national wealth in Mexico, that is, they have on average more debts than assets.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset presents the mean household income for each of the five quintiles in White County, GA, as reported by the U.S. Census Bureau. The dataset highlights the variation in mean household income across quintiles, offering valuable insights into income distribution and inequality.

Key observations

• Income disparities: The mean income of the lowest quintile (20% of households with the lowest income) is 18,810, while the mean income for the highest quintile (20% of households with the highest income) is 190,284. This indicates that the top earners earn 10 times compared to the lowest earners.
• *Top 5%: * The mean household income for the wealthiest population (top 5%) is 340,284, which is 178.83% higher compared to the highest quintile, and 1809.06% higher compared to the lowest quintile.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2017-2021 5-Year Estimates.

Income Levels:

• Lowest Quintile
• Second Quintile
• Third Quintile
• Fourth Quintile
• Highest Quintile
• Top 5 Percent

Variables / Data Columns

• Income Level: This column showcases the income levels (As mentioned above).
• Mean Household Income: Mean household income, in 2022 inflation-adjusted dollars for the specific income level.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for White County median household income. You can refer the same here