Unaffordable America: Wealth Gap at Modern-Day High

Tuesday, March 24, 2026

The richest households have been rapidly multiplying their wealth over the past year. They're buying real estate and plowing money into the stock market, including high-risk, high-reward investments. The returns have them sitting comfortably, as new tax benefits help protect their gains. People with a tighter budget, on the other hand, have been struggling to get ahead. Prices for grocery store staples are going up, job opportunities are decreasing and once-stable careers, like those in manufacturing, are shrinking. The idea of doing better than your parents, for many, feels increasingly out of reach.

Posted by qcp at 09:12 AM | 11 COMMENTS | permalink

Comments

I don't know about the super-wealthy...

I do know that anyone who has at one time been broke

Knows it is entirely possible that he will be broke again.

#1 | Posted by Zed at 2026-03-24 09:44 AM

The dem concept of the wealth gap being a problem promotes wealth envy. In reality how much an other individual makes/has has no impact on what you earn/have.

Fact is, we the consumers are willingly purchasing products and services provided by those wealthy, who are also employing people to produce those, so we are who are making those individuals wealthy.

#2 | Posted by MSgt at 2026-03-24 09:56 AM

Stop bogarting the bong ...

#3 | Posted by Doc_Sarvis at 2026-03-24 10:03 AM

FYI - Want to gain in wealth?

"Stocks are always risky in the short-term, but if you hold long-term, history shows you have a 100 percent chance of success. The graph below shows percentage success as your holding period increases. If you pick ANY 20-year period in American stock history, 100 percent of the time you had a positive return. This includes 20-year blocks that overlapped the Great Depression, World War II, the housing crisis, and tech bubble bust."

i0.wp.com

#4 | Posted by MSgt at 2026-03-24 10:10 AM

"history shows you have a 100 percent chance of success."

In general, sure.
Not when the stock is Enron.

#5 | Posted by snoofy at 2026-03-24 10:11 AM

Not when the stock is Enron.
#5 | POSTED BY SNOOFY

it says "Stocks", as in a collection, more than one, this is probably why you've done so poorly, just an inability to read and comprehend.

That being said, I have stated this over and over again regarding California. It has the highest income inequality in the US.

#6 | Posted by oneironaut at 2026-03-24 10:15 AM

"this is probably why you've done so poorly, just an inability to read and comprehend."

without realizing it, some folks are destined to be poor no matter what opportunities they have right in front of them.

#7 | Posted by eberly at 2026-03-24 10:21 AM

we the consumers are willingly purchasing products and services provided by those wealthy, who are also employing people to produce those, so we are who are making those individuals wealthy.

#2 | POSTED BY MSGT

That's a pretty simplistic view of the world. And not very accurate.

Many "consumers" have no choice. They have children. They have no choice but to "consume". If you cannot live independently wealthy outside of society then you will be a "consumer".

And NO one ever got rich working in an Amazon warehouse.

And when the robots arrive for duty the wage slave laborers will not even have a wage slave job.

#8 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-03-24 11:19 AM

" I have stated this over and over again regarding California. It has the highest income inequality in the US."

Which is exactly what you would expect in the state with the most economic opportunity.

It's almost like you don't understand the concept.

#9 | Posted by Danforth at 2026-03-24 11:25 AM

That being said, I have stated this over and over again regarding California. It has the highest income inequality in the US.

#6 | POSTED BY ONEIRONAUT

That being said?

That being your latest hateful LIE commie Spyboy. I have stayed over and over that you are a liar. Here's just more proof.

New York has the highest income equality.

California is ranked third.

States with Highest Income Inequality (Gini Index)

New York: Frequently cited as having the highest income inequality in the U.S..

Connecticut: High inequality driven by a massive gap between top earners and the rest of the population.

California: High concentration of extreme wealth, with New York and California together holding nearly one-third of households with $30 + million in assets.

Louisiana: Features significant economic disparity.
Washington,

D.C.: While not a state, it ranks among the top in income inequality

#10 | Posted by donnerboy at 2026-03-24 11:25 AM

-I have stated this over and over again regarding California. It has the highest income inequality in the US.

People and the partisan politics can't decide if that's a good thing or not.

income equality is a good thing when you're seeing it in a liberal state.....but it's bad in a red state or a country run by republicans.

IOW, partisan politics get in the way of determining if income inequality is good or bad.

#11 | Posted by eberly at 2026-03-24 11:31 AM

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