25 US Cities With the Worst Income Inequality
Business + Economy

25 US Cities With the Worst Income Inequality

FlickrJeff Gunn

Nationwide, one-percenters earn roughly 25 times the salary of the bottom 99 percent — an average of $1.2 million a year compared to $46,000 for everyone else, according to data from the Economic Policy Institute.

The gap in cities is even more dramatic. Here’s a look at the 25 metropolitan areas where the income difference between the 1% and everyone else is the widest, according to a new EPI study:

Related: How Much Money It Takes to Be in the Top 1% In Every State

25. San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, California
The epicenter of the tech boom has also had to deal with unrest and challenges resulting from the area’s stark income differences.
Population (2010 Census data): 4.3 million
Average income of the top 1 percent (as of 2013): $2.2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent (as of 2013): $71,000
Income gap (ratio of the average income of the top 1 percent to the bottom 99 percent): 31 times 

24. Whitewater-Elkhorn, Wisconsin
Home to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, the city ranks among the state’s poorest.
Population: 102,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $46,000
Income gap: 31 times 

23. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, Massachusetts and New Hampshire
A Brookings Institution study last January ranked Boston as the No. 1 city in America for income disparity. This may be in part due to its large student population, the authors suggested.
Population: 4.5 million
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $64,000
Income gap: 31 times

22. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, California
The tech boom driven by companies like Google, Facebook and Apple has also resulted in considerable income disparity in this community.
Population: 1.8 million
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.7 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $85,000
Income gap: 32 times

21. Sterling, Colorado
Sterling’s main industries are agriculture, manufacturing, energy and business services.  
Population: 23,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $37,000
Income gap: 33 times

20. Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, Arkansas-Missouri
Fayetteville is home to a number of Fortune 500 companies (including Walmart in Bentonville).
Population: 463,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.6 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $48,000
Income gap: 33 times

19. Cape Coral-Fort Meyers, Florida
In March, builderonline.com included Cape Coral-Fort Meyers on a list of the top metropolitan areas where the middle class is shrinking.
Population: 619,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.3 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000
Income gap: 34 times

18. Reno, Nevada
The Atlantic earlier this year reported that due to Reno's tech boom, rents are rising at a faster rate than many of its longtime residents can afford.
Population: 425,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.3 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000
Income gap: 34 times

17. Victoria, Texas
Despite its economic success as a commerical center, a 2013 report from The Texas Tribune found that 29 percent of children in Victoria county live in poverty.
Population: 115,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.6 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $47,000
Income gap: 34 times

16. North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, Florida
Urban poverty in North Port has grown considerably during the past two decades, as reported by Business Insider based on data from The Brookings Institution.
Population: 702,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $39,000
Income gap: 35 times

15. Hailey, Idaho
The community of Hailey, Idaho had been named by liveability.com as one of America’s Top 10 small towns.
Population: 28,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $61,000
Income gap: 36 times

14. Port St. Lucie, Florida
With its economy centered on health care, financial services and education, Port St. Lucie is often listed among the best cities for business.
Population: 424,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $36,000
Income gap: 39 times 

13. New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
The greater New York City area’s rich-poor gap was a centerpiece of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s electoral campaign.
Population: 19 million
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $55,000
Income gap: 39 times

12. Summit Park, Utah
With low unemployment and a high average income, the small community of Summit Park is listed as one of Sperling’s Best Places to Live.
Population: 36,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $99,000
Income gap: 40 times

11. Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, Nevada
A recent report from Nevada Public Radio noted that the poverty rate in southern Nevada suburbs grew 123 percent between 2000 and 2014. 
Population: 2 million
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.5 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $36,000
Income gap: 41 times 

10. San Angelo, Texas
Despite being lauded as one of America’s best small cities for employment, the rich-poor gap in San Angelo is considerable.
Population: 112,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $1.6 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000
Income gap: 41 times

9. Glenwood Springs, Colorado
Bloomberg Business ranked Glenwood Springs the seventh wealthiest small town in America in 2015.
Population: 74,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: 2.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $58,000
Income gap: 42 times

8. Midland, Texas
Last year, a report from the Midland Reporter-Telegram noted that most of the 13 percent of the city’s population living below the poverty line were working.
Population: 137,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $3.4 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $76,000
Income gap: 44.3 times 

7. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, Florida
The highest-earning 20 percent of households in Miami-Dade County accounted for 55 percent of all income earned in 2013, a county study reported.
Population: 5.6 million
Average income of the top 1 percent: 1.8 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000
Income gap: 45 times 

6. Gardnerville-Ranchos, Nevada
13 percent of residents live below the poverty line.
Population: 47,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $45,000
Income gap: 46 times

5. Key West, Florida
Half of the population is at or very near the poverty level, a recent United Way study found.
Population: 73,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $3.2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $55,000
Income gap: 59 times

4. Sebastian-Vero Beach, Florida
In 2012, 34 percent of all household income in this community belonged to the wealthiest 5 percent of households.
Population: 138,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $2.5 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $40,000
Income gap: 64 times

3. Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, Florida
Naples was named the country’s healthiest, happiest city this year.
Population: 322,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $4.2 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $57,000
Income gap: 73 times

2. Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, Connecticut
This Connecticut area has often been called America’s most unequal but the EPI analysis finds it’s the second most unequal.
Population: 916,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $6.1 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $82,000
Income ratio: 74 times

1. Jackson, Wyoming-Idaho
The town at the heart of the Jackson Hole valley is a playground for the rich but hosts many low-wage workers.
Population: 31,000
Average income of the top 1 percent: $20 million
Average income of the bottom 99 percent: $94,000
Income gap: 213 times

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