Visualizing Income Distribution in the United States

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel dynamic visualization technique for illustrating income distribution and inequality over time in the U.S., aiming to improve public understanding of economic disparities.

Contribution

The paper presents a new visualization method that effectively communicates income inequality trends using U.S. household income microdata.

Findings

Creates a dynamic animation of income distribution over time

Enhances public awareness of economic inequality

Provides an accessible visualization tool for non-experts

Abstract

The distribution of household income is a central concern of modern economic policy due to its strong influence on life quality. Yet, non-expert audiences are unaware of the relationship between these two factors. To effectively communicate the effect of income inequality on the quality of life and among the strata, we have designed a novel technique for visualizing income distribution and inequality over time by using the U.S. household income microdata from the Current Population Survey. The result is a striking dynamic animation of income distribution over time, drawing public attention and further investigating economic inequality. Detailed implementation of this project is available at https://github.com/sangttruong/incomevis.