Income inequality in Oregon broke state records during the pandemic, according to new tax data.
During 2020, the estimated median income of Oregonians fell. However, the top one-percent of earners, which included the billionaire owners of Nike and Columbia, saw average gains of over 11%.
This analysis comes from the Oregon Center for Public Policy. Josh Lehner, an economist with the state, said preliminary data shows an even larger gap in 2021.
But Lehner said income inequality may now be lessening, as the stock market cools and raises for the lowest earners outpace inflation.
“The tight labor market, where it's hard to find workers, is generating some pretty substantial wage gains.”
Lehner said Oregon’s conditions are consistent with national trends. Tyler Mac Innis, an analyst with the OCPP, is encouraging the state to increase taxes on top earners.
