One way to look at wealth or income distribution (the two metrics measure different things) is to divide the population into the top 20%, then the next 20%, and so on, down to the bottom 20%.
From Household income share of quintiles U.S. 2023 | Statista
Charts such as the above income distribution are a “snapshot in time”. A broader perspective shows that most people will start their work life in the bottom 1 or 2 quintiles and rise to the 4th or 5th quintiles over their career. Upon retirement, their income drops and they typically end up one or two quintiles lower.
That view, of course, is not captured by a single “moment in time” chart, such as the above.
Another way is to look at “wealth distribution” as in this chart from Visualizing Wealth Distribution in America (1990-2023)Visualizing Wealth Distribution in America (1990-2023)
Another way to look at this which sort of looks like quintiles but, in fact, has added a sixth category for “Top 1%” – How this chart explains Americans’ wealth across income levels – USAFacts
Who distributes or “divides” wealth in the United States?
Think about that question for a bit. There is no “Central Czar” who distributes wealth – wealth distribution comes primarily from how individuals make choices – in terms of training, career, and how they choose to invest those skills and earnings. Some people are born with more resources than others and are likely to have more options than those without those resources. Some people are simply lucky – they had a good idea, at the right time, and the means to bring that idea to a successful business fruition.
The main point is: There is no individual or entity in the U.S. that “distributes wealth”. Most paths to obtaining wealth flow through individual decision making, work and luck.
