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Income Growth and its Distribution from Eisenhower to Obama: The Growing Importance of In-Kind Transfers (1959-2016)

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  • Elwell, James

    (Joint Committee on Taxation)

  • Corinth, Kevin

    (American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research)

  • Burkhauser, Richard V.

    (University of Texas at Austin)

Abstract

We provide the first survey-based look at levels and trends in income and its distribution from 1959 to 2016 by linking Current Population Survey data from 1967 through 2016 with decennial Census data for 1959. We find that the dramatic decline in the market income of the middle class (measured as the median American tax unit or the mean value of the middle quintile of American tax units) began in 1969. However, we find that this decline was more than offset by government tax and transfer programs – especially in-kind transfers. Conventional measures of median income and income inequality that exclude the market value of in-kind transfers will substantially understate the impact of government policies in offsetting the stagnation of median market income growth and the rise in market income inequality since 1969.

Suggested Citation

  • Elwell, James & Corinth, Kevin & Burkhauser, Richard V., 2019. "Income Growth and its Distribution from Eisenhower to Obama: The Growing Importance of In-Kind Transfers (1959-2016)," IZA Discussion Papers 12757, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp12757
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    1. Burkhauser, Richard V. & Corinth, Kevin & Elwell, James & Larrimore, Jeff, 2019. "Evaluating the Success of President Johnson's War on Poverty: Revisiting the Historical Record Using a Full-Income Poverty Measure," IZA Discussion Papers 12855, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Richard V. Burkhauser & Kevin Corinth & James Elwell & Jeff Larrimore, 2019. "Evaluating the Success of President Johnson’s War on Poverty: Revisiting the Historical Record Using an Absolute Full-Income Poverty Measure," NBER Working Papers 26532, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Sebastian Doerr & Thomas Drechsel & Donggyu Lee, 2022. "Income Inequality and Job Creation," Staff Reports 1021, Federal Reserve Bank of New York.
    4. Sebastian Doerr & Thomas Drechsel & Donggyu Lee, 2021. "Income inequality, financial intermediation, and small firms," BIS Working Papers 944, Bank for International Settlements.
    5. Richard V. Burkhauser & Kevin Corinth & Douglas Holtz-Eakin, 2021. "Policies to Help the Working Class in the Aftermath of COVID-19: Lessons from the Great Recession," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 695(1), pages 314-330, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    market income; survey-based CPS data; income inequality; median income; long-term growth trends (1959-2016); valuing in-kind transfers; full-income series;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • C81 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Methodology for Collecting, Estimating, and Organizing Microeconomic Data; Data Access

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