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%
