6 Patterns of wealth distribution in tax assessments and inventories of estates were as follows, for urban Philadelphia and rural Chester County from 1684 to 1750.

Image

 

Chester Co.

Philadelphia

Chester Co.

Philadelphia

 

Tax Lists

Tax Lists

Inventories

Inventories

Year

(top 10%)

(top 10%)

(*top 20%)

(top 10%)

1684-99

 

 

 

36.4%

1693

23.8%

46.0%

 

 

1700-15

 

 

 

41.3%

1715

25.9%

 

 

 

1714-31

 

 

*46.4%

 

1716-25

 

 

 

46.8%

1730

28.6%

 

 

 

1726-35

 

 

 

53.6%

1734-45

 

 

*53.0%

51.3%

1748

28.7%

 

 

 

1756

 

46.6%

 

 

Sources include Lemon and Nash, “The Distribution of Wealth in Eighteenth Century America”; G. B. Nash, “Urban Wealth and Poverty in Pre-Revolutionary America,” JIH 6 (1976), 545-84; G. B. Nash, “Poverty and Poor Relief in Pre-Revolutionary Philadelphia, WMQ3 33 (1976), 3-30; Duane Ball, “Population and Wealth in Pennsylvania,” JIH 6 (1976), 545.