In this article, we measure the mobility of individuals within the income distribution using a new panel of fiscal data covering the 2003-2021 period. The rank on the 2021 income scale of individuals aged between 25 and 49 in 2003 correlates strongly to their rank in 2003 (rank-rank correlation: 0.68). This persistence is particularly strong among the wealthiest 20% and poorest 20% from 2003, with nearly two thirds remaining in the same income quintile 18 years later. Intragenerational income mobility appears to be considerably lower in France than in the United States and remains stable in each sub-period. It is higher for the youngest, for the self-employed and for inhabitants of the largest urban areas. This high level of persistence is reflected in the levels of inequality that are only a little (7%) lower when measured over 19 years than over one year.

Loisel, T. & Sicsic, M. (2024). Intragenerational Income Mobility in France Over the 2003-2021 Period. Economie et Statistique / Economics and Statistics, 545, 65–82.
doi: 10.24187/ecostat.2024.545.2129