A STATISTICAL SNAPSHOT
The charts below provide a brief snapshot in economic terms of the situation of whites, African-Americans, Hispanics (persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race) and the society as a whole. As is clear from the Gallup data, the situation of the groups in both real and perceptual term is improving. The information below demonstrates why there is still concern.While the first chart on income distribution shows that within each designated group the proportion of people in each income quintile is roughly equal, the second chart shows that in absolute dollars, there are substantial disparities between groups. The third and fourth charts document disparities between groups in poverty and employment.
Distribution of Total U.S. Income by Population Fifths
(in percentages and 1995 U.S. dollars)
The U.S. Census Bureau looks at the distribution of total income in the U.S. by quintiles or fifths (0-20% of the total U.S. population receives 4.4 percent of all income, 21-40%, etc). Based on 1995 figures, we see the following distribution in percentage terms:
lowest fifth |
second fifth |
third fifth |
fourth fifth |
highest
fifth |
|
| Total U.S. population |
4.4 % | 10.1 % | 15.8 % | 23.2 % | 46.5 % |
| White | 4.8 % | 10.4 % | 16.0 % | 23.0 % | 45.8 % |
| African- American |
3.3 % |
8.7 % |
15.2 % |
24.1 % |
48.7 % |
| Hispanic* | 4.1 % | 9.5 % | 15.1 % | 23.2 % | 48.1 % |
The chart below shows income distribution by fifths in 1995 dollar terms. The dollar figures shown mark the upper limit of each fifth.
lowest fifth |
second fifth |
third fifth |
fourth fifth |
highest
fifth |
|
| Total U.S. population |
$19,070 | $32,985 | $48,985 | $72,260 | Not applicable |
| White | $20,916 | $35,046 | $51,000 | $75,000 | N.A. |
| African- American |
$10,200 |
$20,000 |
$32,296 |
$51,016 |
N.A. |
| Hispanic* | $11,479 | $19,677 | $30,022 | $48,492 | N.A. |
| Total U.S. population | White | African-American | Hispanic* |
| 15.1 % | 12.2 % | 33.1 % | 30.6 % |
| Total U.S. population | White | African-American | Hispanic* |
| 6.1 % | 5.3 % | 11.5 % | 10.0 % |
U.S. Society &
Values
USIA Electronic Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, August
1997