U.S. household income distribution 1990-2017, by Gini-coefficient
U.S. household income distribution from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini-coefficient)
by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Aug 9, 2019
In 2017, according to the Gini coefficient, household income distribution in the United States was 0.48. This figure was at 0.43 in 1990, which indicates an increase in income inequality in the U.S. over the past 30 years.
What is the Gini coefficient?
The Gini coefficient, or Gini index, is a statistical measure of economic inequality and wealth distribution among a population. A value of zero represents perfect economic equality, and a value of one represents perfect economic inequality. The Gini coefficient helps to visualize income inequality in a more digestible way. For example, according to the Gini coefficient, the District of Columbia has the greatest amount of income inequality in the U.S. with a score of 0.53, and Alaska has the greatest income equality with a score of 0.42.
The Gini coefficient around the world
The Gini coefficient is also an effective measure to help picture income inequality around the world. For example, in 2017 income inequality was highest in South Africa, while income inequality was lowest in Azerbaijan.
U.S. household income distribution from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini-coefficient)
Loading statistic...
| Gini coefficient* | |
|---|---|
| '17 | 0.48 |
| `16 | 0.48 |
| '15 | 0.48 |
| '14 | 0.48 |
| '13 | 0.48 |
| '12 | 0.48 |
| '11 | 0.48 |
| '10 | 0.47 |
| '09 | 0.47 |
| '08 | 0.47 |
| '07 | 0.46 |
| '06 | 0.47 |
| '05 | 0.47 |
| '04 | 0.47 |
| '03 | 0.46 |
| '02 | 0.46 |
| '01 | 0.47 |
| '00 | 0.46 |
| '99 | 0.46 |
| '98 | 0.46 |
| '97 | 0.46 |
| '96 | 0.46 |
| '95 | 0.45 |
| '94 | 0.46 |
| '93 | 0.45 |
| '92 | 0.43 |
| '91 | 0.43 |
| '90 | 0.43 |
| Gini coefficient* | |
|---|---|
| '17 | 0.48 |
| `16 | 0.48 |
| '15 | 0.48 |
| '14 | 0.48 |
| '13 | 0.48 |
| '12 | 0.48 |
| '11 | 0.48 |
| '10 | 0.47 |
| '09 | 0.47 |
| '08 | 0.47 |
| '07 | 0.46 |
| '06 | 0.47 |
| '05 | 0.47 |
| '04 | 0.47 |
| '03 | 0.46 |
| '02 | 0.46 |
| '01 | 0.47 |
| '00 | 0.46 |
| '99 | 0.46 |
| '98 | 0.46 |
| '97 | 0.46 |
| '96 | 0.46 |
| '95 | 0.45 |
| '94 | 0.46 |
| '93 | 0.45 |
| '92 | 0.43 |
| '91 | 0.43 |
| '90 | 0.43 |
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Source: US Census Bureau
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by Erin Duffin,
last edited
Aug 9, 2019
In 2017, according to the Gini coefficient, household income distribution in the United States was 0.48. This figure was at 0.43 in 1990, which indicates an increase in income inequality in the U.S. over the past 30 years.
What is the Gini coefficient?
The Gini coefficient, or Gini index, is a statistical measure of economic inequality and wealth distribution among a population. A value of zero represents perfect economic equality, and a value of one represents perfect economic inequality. The Gini coefficient helps to visualize income inequality in a more digestible way. For example, according to the Gini coefficient, the District of Columbia has the greatest amount of income inequality in the U.S. with a score of 0.53, and Alaska has the greatest income equality with a score of 0.42.
The Gini coefficient around the world
The Gini coefficient is also an effective measure to help picture income inequality around the world. For example, in 2017 income inequality was highest in South Africa, while income inequality was lowest in Azerbaijan.
- Source
- US Census Bureau
- Show further sources information
- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- September 2018
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1990 to 2017
- Supplementary notes
-
* The Gini coefficient measures the inequality among values of a frequency distribution (for example levels of income). A Gini coefficient of zero expresses perfect equality where all values are the same (for example, where everyone has an exactly equal income). A Gini coefficient of one (100 on the percentile scale) expresses maximal inequality among values (for example where only one person has all the income).
Data have been rounded to provide better understanding of the statistic. - Open this statistic in...
Source
- Source
- US Census Bureau
- Show further sources information
- As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic.
- Show publisher information
- Release date
- September 2018
More information
- Region
- United States
- Survey time period
- 1990 to 2017
- Supplementary notes
-
* The Gini coefficient measures the inequality among values of a frequency distribution (for example levels of income). A Gini coefficient of zero expresses perfect equality where all values are the same (for example, where everyone has an exactly equal income). A Gini coefficient of one (100 on the percentile scale) expresses maximal inequality among values (for example where only one person has all the income).
Data have been rounded to provide better understanding of the statistic. - Open this statistic in...
Other statistics on the topic
Poverty and income in the United States
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Statistics on "Poverty and Income in the United States"
- Poverty
The most important statistics
- Number of people living below the poverty line in the United States from 1990 to 2017 (in millions)Number of people living below the poverty line in the U.S. 1990-2017
- Poverty rate in the United States from 1990 to 2017Poverty rate in the United States 1990-2017
- Number of families living below the poverty line in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017 (in thousands)Number of families in poverty in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017
- Poverty rate for families in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017Poverty rate for families in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017
- Number of people living below the poverty line in the United States in 2017, by state (in 1,000)Number of people living below the poverty line in the U.S. 2017, by state
- Poverty rate in the United States in 2017, by statePoverty rate in the United States 2017, by state
- Child poverty rate in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017Child poverty rate in the United States 1990-2017
- Poverty rate in the U.S. in 2017, by ethnic groupPoverty rate in the United States by ethnic group 2017
- Income
The most important statistics
- Median household income in the United States from 1990 to 2017 (in 2017 U.S. dollars)Median household income in the United States 1990-2017
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by state (in current U.S. dollars)Median household income in the United States by state 2017
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by age of householder (in U.S. dollars)Median household income in the United States by age 2017
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by educational attainment of householder (in U.S. dollars)Median household income in the United States by education of householder 2017
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by race or ethnic group (in U.S. dollars)Median household income in the United States by race or ethnic group 2017
- Number of households in the United States by household income in 2017 (in millions)Number of households by household income in the U.S. 2017
- Mean household income for the lowest quintile and the top 5 percent from 1990 to 2017 (in 2017 U.S. dollars)Household income in the U.S. - comparison of the lowest quintile and the top 5 percent
- Shares of household income of quintiles in the United States from 1970 to 2017Household income in the U.S. - shares of quintiles 1970-2017
- Inequality
The most important statistics
- U.S. household income distribution from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini-coefficient)U.S. household income distribution 1990-2017, by Gini-coefficient
- U.S. family income distribution from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini coefficient)U.S. family income distribution 1990-2017, by Gini coefficient
- U.S. income distribution of individual earnings for full-time, year-round workers from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini-coefficient)U.S. income distribution of individual earnings 1990-2017, by Gini-coefficient
- Gini coefficient as a measure for household income distribution inequality for U.S. states in 2017Gap between rich and poor, by state in the U.S. 2017
- Gini index for income distribution equality for households in the United States in 2017, by race and Hispanic originGini index for income distribution equality for U.S. households 2017, by race/origin
- Gini index for income distribution equality for families in the United States in 2017, by race and Hispanic origin of householderGini index for income distribution equality for U.S. families 2017, by race/origin
- Ranking the 20 countries with the greatest income distribution equality in 2017*, based on the Gini indexGini Index - countries with the greatest income distribution equality 2017*
- Gender wage gap for the 20 most common occupations for men in the U.S. in 2018, by median weekly earnings (in U.S. dollars)U.S. gender wage gap for the 20 most common occupations for men 2018
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Statistics on "Poverty and Income in the United States"
- Number of people living below the poverty line in the United States from 1990 to 2017 (in millions)
- Poverty rate in the United States from 1990 to 2017
- Number of families living below the poverty line in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017 (in thousands)
- Poverty rate for families in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017
- Number of people living below the poverty line in the United States in 2017, by state (in 1,000)
- Poverty rate in the United States in 2017, by state
- Child poverty rate in the U.S. from 1990 to 2017
- Poverty rate in the U.S. in 2017, by ethnic group
- Poverty rate in the United States in 2017, by age and gender
- Poverty rate in the United States in 2017, by education
- Percentage of people who live below the poverty level in the most populated cities in the U.S. in 2017
- Percentage of families who live below the poverty level in the most populated cities in the U.S. in 2017
- Poverty rates in OECD countries as of 2016
- Proportion of children living in poverty in the OECD countries in 2016
- Median household income in the United States from 1990 to 2017 (in 2017 U.S. dollars)
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by state (in current U.S. dollars)
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by age of householder (in U.S. dollars)
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by educational attainment of householder (in U.S. dollars)
- Median household income in the United States in 2017, by race or ethnic group (in U.S. dollars)
- Number of households in the United States by household income in 2017 (in millions)
- Mean household income for the lowest quintile and the top 5 percent from 1990 to 2017 (in 2017 U.S. dollars)
- Shares of household income of quintiles in the United States from 1970 to 2017
- Percentage distribution of household income in the United States in 2017
- Percentage distribution of household income in the United States in 2017, by ethnic group
- Median value of debt held by families in the United States in 2016, by age of family head (in thousand U.S. dollars)
- Median household income in the top 25 most populated U.S. cities in 2017 (in U.S. dollars)
- U.S. household income distribution from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini-coefficient)
- U.S. family income distribution from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini coefficient)
- U.S. income distribution of individual earnings for full-time, year-round workers from 1990 to 2017 (by Gini-coefficient)
- Gini coefficient as a measure for household income distribution inequality for U.S. states in 2017
- Gini index for income distribution equality for households in the United States in 2017, by race and Hispanic origin
- Gini index for income distribution equality for families in the United States in 2017, by race and Hispanic origin of householder
- Ranking the 20 countries with the greatest income distribution equality in 2017*, based on the Gini index
- Gender wage gap for the 20 most common occupations for men in the U.S. in 2018, by median weekly earnings (in U.S. dollars)
- Number of households in the U.S. in 2017, by generation (in millions)
- Mean disposable household income in the U.S. in 2017, by generation (in U.S. dollars)
- Mean disposable household income in the U.S. in 2017, by age (in U.S. dollars)
- Real adjusted gross disposable income (purchasing power of real income) of consumer households in Italy from 2008 to 2018 (in million euros)
- Number of households in Australia from 2016 to 2041 (in millions)
- Sources of household income in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2014, as a percentage of gross weekly income, by disposable income quintile group*
- Proportion of families with employer pension in the United Kingdom (UK) from August 2012 to July 2013
- Average household debt in the United Kingdom (UK) from 2011 to 2015 (in GBP)
- Number of single-earner couple families in Canada from 2000 to 2017, by sex
- Average family monthly income in the United Kingdom (UK) from winter 2013 to summer 2017 (in GBP)
- Proportion of families with fixed-term bond investments in the United Kingdom (UK) from August 2012 to July 2013
- Average number of own children under 18 in families with children in the United States from 1960 to 2018
- Proportion of families with private pension in the United Kingdom (UK) from August 2012 to July 2013
- Number of households in Denmark in 2019, by number of children
- Number of married couple families in Canada in 2017, by earning situation
- Gini index score of Russia from 2004 to 2015
- Electricity prices for households in Luxembourg from 2010 to 2018, semi-annually (in euro cents per kilowatt-hour)
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