The growing wealth gap

Wall Street protests have gotten many of us wondering about the disparity in wealth between the rich and middle- and low-income Americans. Here are some of the facts.

While the average net worth of the top fifth of American households has more than doubled in real terms since 1962, the middle class has seen only a 25% rise, and the bottom 20% is deeper in debt.

NEXT: The millionaire next door

Source: Economic Policy Institute, Deloitte, Census Bureau, Mark Kroll
This article is from the November 7, 2011 issue of Fortune.

By Doris Burke, senior research editor - Last updated October 26 2011: 8:29 AM ET

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