Ben Shoemate's Notebook

They call America the land of opportunity, but few would question the notion that it is also the land of contrasts. All you need to do is look at the statistics compiled on a regular basis by the Department of Labor, Census Bureau and other government institutions to see the stark differences between the country’s top and bottom earners. While the top 1% of American households holds 34.6% of all privately-held wealth, for example, the bottom 80% (made up of salary workers) holds 14.9%. For more statistics on income, wealth and debt distribution in America, take a look at our infographic, created in partnership with OnlineSchools.org.