"Chart of the Year of 2014"

Source: Vox.com

The poorest of the poor saw some real income growth over two decades, but not all that much. On the other hand, real income growth increased for those from the 10th percentile of income to the 55th percentile, and remained high up to the 70th percentile; it peaked for the percentile occupied by the Chinese "middle class". The rate of income growth was lowest for the middle classes in the developed world during this period, but the very highest income group managed to grow their incomes quite rapidly.