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The Review of Economics and Statistics Vol. 79 No. 1 1997

Wealth Mobility

Nancy A. Jianakoplos1; Paul L. Menchik2

1 Colorado State University · 2 Michigan State University

Abstract

This paper examines the wealth mobility of a panel of mature American men between 1966 and 1981. Although greater persistence exists than within the income distribution, a sizeable degree of movement within the wealth distribution is observed. Slightly more than half of the households changed quintiles. However, the magnitude of the movement was modest, with 78% of the moves to an adjacent quintile. Movements into either extreme of the wealth distribution were relatively rare. Really big moves, from the poorest to richest group, were extremely rare, with the probability of a black making such a move within fifteen years approximately zero.

DOI
10.1162/003465397750160167
Volume
79
Issue
1
Pages
18-31
Language
en
Sources
openalex crossref

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