Western Progress, a think tank which advances progressive solutions in the Rocky Mountain States, reported in a news brief today:

A new study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Economic Policy Institute demonstrates how the gap between America’s wealthiest families and those at the bottom and in the middle has grown since the late 1980’s.

In their analysis of U.S. Census data, the two groups found that low and middle income families gained little as others prospered since the late 1990’s. Those in the lowest fifth of incomes saw their average incomes decline by 2.5%, while those in the middle rose by just 1.3% while the most fortunate fifth of families saw their incomes rise by 9%.

Had the study included income from capital gains, the disparities would certainly have been greater. The study includes a breakdown by state that shows significant differences among western states.