This week, from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities…

PULLING APART: A State-by-State Analysis of Income Trends
by Jared Bernstein, Elizabeth McNichol, and Andrew Nicholas

“The gap between the richest and poorest families…grew significantly in most states over the past two decades…In fact, the nation’s longstanding trend of grwoing inequality accelerated since the late 1990s as incomes fell for poor families in a number of states.”

Specific data on Kansas…

Gains for Rich Families Outpaced Gains for Poor Families

Between the late 1980s and the mid-2000s:

• The average income of the poorest fifth of families did not change significantly.
• The average income of the middle fifth of families increased by $5,775, from $44,635 to $50,410. This is an increase of $340 per year.
• The average income of the richest fifth of families increased by $37,756, from $90,207 to $127,963. This is an increase of $2,221 per year.
  

For more info visit the Center’s website : www.cbpp.org