Lorenz curve - income inequality in the U.S.

http://iopscience.iop.org/1367-2630/12/7/075032/fulltext/

 

The Lorenz curve, when used in economics, graphically represents the cumulative distribution function of the empirical probability distribution of wealth.  The data in this Lorenz curve is taken from IRS data in the years of 1996 and 2007.  The distance between the diagonal line and the curve represents income inequality.  We can see that the Lorenz curve of 1996 is closer to the diagonal line than that one of 2007, meaning that the income inequality worsened from 1996 to 2007 from 18.5% to 21.5%.