The following graphs by University of Chicago’s Amir Sufi succinctly summarize the very adverse effects of the Great Recession on the net worth of Americans, especially for those in the 25th and 50th percentiles. American’s in the 90th net worth percentile experienced some decline in net worth but not nearly as much proportionately as the great majority of Americans.
The above research conforms to other similar findings in a recent report from the Pew Charitable Trusts, demonstrating households living in high-poverty neighborhoods experienced a 91 percent decline in their overall wealth over the course of the Great Recession.