October 11, 2005
We've just updated our popular "Summary of Federal Individual Income Tax Data" page with the latest numbers from the IRS. Here's one of the more interesting tables: average tax rates for various income groups over time.
Average Tax Rate, 1980-2003 (% of AGI paid in income taxes)
Year | Total | Top 1% | Top 2-5% | Top 5% | Top 6-10% | Top 10% | Top 11-25% | Top 25% | Top 26-50% | Top 50% | Bottom 50% | |
1980 | 15.31% | 34.47% | 21.71% | 26.85% | 17.13% | 23.49% | 14.80% | 19.72% | 11.91% | 17.29% | 6.10% | |
1981 | 15.76% | 33.37% | 22.08% | 26.59% | 18.16% | 23.64% | 15.53% | 20.11% | 12.48% | 17.73% | 6.62% | |
1982 | 14.72% | 31.43% | 20.44% | 25.05% | 16.61% | 22.17% | 14.35% | 18.79% | 11.63% | 16.57% | 6.10% | |
1983 | 13.79% | 30.18% | 18.77% | 23.64% | 15.54% | 20.91% | 13.20% | 17.62% | 10.76% | 15.52% | 5.66% | |
1984 | 13.68% | 29.92% | 18.41% | 23.42% | 15.57% | 20.81% | 12.90% | 17.47% | 10.48% | 15.35% | 5.77% | |
1985 | 13.73% | 29.86% | 18.44% | 23.50% | 15.69% | 20.93% | 12.83% | 17.55% | 10.41% | 15.41% | 5.70% | |
1986 | 14.54% | 33.13% | 19.10% | 25.68% | 15.99% | 22.64% | 12.97% | 18.72% | 10.48% | 16.32% | 5.63% | |
Tax Reform Act of 1986 changed the definition of AGI, so data above and below this line not strictly comparable | ||||||||||||
1987 | 13.12% | 26.41% | 18.13% | 22.10% | 14.43% | 19.77% | 11.71% | 16.61% | 9.45% | 14.60% | 5.09% | |
1988 | 13.21% | 24.04% | 17.85% | 21.14% | 14.07% | 19.18% | 11.82% | 16.47% | 9.60% | 14.64% | 5.06% | |
1989 | 13.12% | 23.34% | 17.97% | 20.71% | 13.93% | 18.77% | 12.08% | 16.27% | 9.77% | 14.53% | 5.11% | |
1990 | 12.95% | 23.25% | 17.60% | 20.46% | 13.63% | 18.50% | 12.01% | 16.06% | 9.73% | 14.36% | 5.01% | |
1991 | 12.75% | 24.37% | 17.10% | 20.62% | 13.96% | 18.63% | 11.57% | 15.93% | 9.55% | 14.20% | 4.62% | |
1992 | 12.94% | 25.05% | 17.21% | 21.19% | 13.99% | 19.13% | 11.39% | 16.25% | 9.42% | 14.44% | 4.39% | |
1993 | 13.32% | 28.01% | 17.48% | 22.71% | 14.01% | 20.20% | 11.40% | 16.90% | 9.37% | 14.90% | 4.29% | |
1994 | 13.50% | 28.23% | 17.93% | 23.04% | 14.20% | 20.48% | 11.57% | 17.15% | 9.42% | 15.11% | 4.32% | |
1995 | 13.86% | 28.73% | 18.19% | 23.53% | 14.46% | 20.97% | 11.71% | 17.58% | 9.43% | 15.47% | 4.39% | |
1996 | 14.34% | 28.87% | 18.68% | 24.07% | 14.74% | 21.55% | 11.86% | 18.12% | 9.53% | 15.96% | 4.40% | |
1997 | 14.48% | 27.64% | 18.78% | 23.62% | 14.87% | 21.36% | 12.04% | 18.18% | 9.63% | 16.09% | 4.48% | |
1998 | 14.42% | 27.12% | 19.14% | 23.63% | 14.79% | 21.42% | 11.63% | 18.16% | 9.12% | 16.00% | 4.44% | |
1999 | 14.85% | 27.53% | 19.68% | 24.18% | 15.06% | 21.98% | 11.76% | 18.66% | 9.12% | 16.43% | 4.48% | |
2000 | 15.26% | 27.45% | 20.07% | 24.42% | 15.48% | 22.34% | 12.04% | 19.09% | 9.28% | 16.86% | 4.60% | |
2001 | 14.23% | 27.50% | 19.12% | 23.68% | 14.89% | 21.41% | 11.58% | 18.08% | 8.91% | 15.85% | 4.09% | |
2002 | 13.03% | 27.25% | 18.15% | 22.95% | 13.87% | 20.51% | 10.47% | 16.99% | 7.67% | 14.66% | 3.21% | |
2003 | 11.90% | 24.31% | 16.58% | 20.74% | 12.22% | 18.49% | 9.54% | 15.38% | 7.12% | 13.35% | 2.95% | |