State rankings

Income Inequality by State

New York has the highest Gini Coefficient in 2024 (0.52), followed by District of Columbia (0.52) and Connecticut (0.5). Utah has the lowest (0.42).

Economics51 states · 10 metricsUpdated Feb 10, 2026Original page
4 sources
51 of 51 states
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Cost-of-living adjustmentConverts wages and incomes to what they would buy at average US prices, so $100k in a cheap state and $100k in an expensive one are not treated as equal.More in the glossary →

Gini Coefficient, 2024

Green is better, red is worse (lower is better). Click a place to highlight it.

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All 51 ranked

Best first.

Distribution Median and middle halfThe median is the middle value: half of places are above it, half below. The middle half is the range holding the central 50% of places.More in the glossary →

Each dot is one state; the lines mark the median and the middle half.

Median
0.47
Middle half 0.46 – 0.47
Average
0.47
51 states
Lowest (best)
0.42
Utah
Highest (worst)
0.52
District of Columbia

Biggest changes · 2021 → 2024

50 states have a value in both years.

Improved most

Declined most

No places moved this way.

Data

Click a column to sort, a row to highlight that place on the charts.

51 states · # = rank by Gini Coefficient
#
1Utah0.42
2Idaho0.43
3Wisconsin0.44
3Iowa0.44
3South Dakota0.44
3Alaska0.44
7Indiana0.45
7Minnesota0.45
7Nebraska0.45
7Hawaii0.45
7New Hampshire0.45
7Delaware0.45
13Ohio0.46
13Arizona0.46
13Missouri0.46
13Maryland0.46
13Colorado0.46
13Oregon0.46
13Kansas0.46
13Maine0.46
13Montana0.46
13North Dakota0.46
13Vermont0.46
13Wyoming0.46
25Pennsylvania0.47
25Georgia0.47
25Michigan0.47
25New Jersey0.47
25Virginia0.47
25Washington0.47
25Tennessee0.47
25South Carolina0.47
25Alabama0.47
25Kentucky0.47
25Oklahoma0.47
25Nevada0.47
25Arkansas0.47
25New Mexico0.47
25West Virginia0.47
25Rhode Island0.47
41Texas0.48
41Florida0.48
41Illinois0.48
41North Carolina0.48
41Massachusetts0.48
41Mississippi0.48
47California0.49
47Louisiana0.49
49Connecticut0.5
50New York0.52
50District of Columbia0.52

What correlates with Gini Coefficient (2024)?

Pearson r against 2,087 other state metrics sharing at least 31 states. Ranks are read by standing: a better rank counts as higher, whether rank 1 is the best place on a list or the worst. Correlation is not causation.

Higher together

Places that have a higher Gini Coefficient tend to score higher on these (or rank better)

  1. % of Registered DemocratsRegistered Voters by Party
    r = +0.70 · very strong · n = 31
    Plot
  2. HIV Death RateHIV Statistics by State
    r = +0.67 · strong · n = 51
    Plot
  3. Average Commute (Minutes)Housing, Income and Commutes by State (Census)
    r = +0.64 · strong · n = 51
    Plot
  4. Overall IndexLawyer-Friendly States
    r = +0.63 · strong · n = 46
    Plot
  5. Average Commute Time (Minutes)Single Mom Friendly States
    r = +0.62 · strong · n = 51
    Plot
  6. Use Public TransitCommute Time by State
    r = +0.62 · strong · n = 51
    Plot

Opposite directions

Places that have a higher Gini Coefficient tend to score lower on these (or rank worse)

  1. % Married (US Census)Most Boring States
    r = −0.73 · very strong · n = 49
    Plot
  2. Family-RelatedMost Stressed StatesA rank: rank 1 is the worst
    r = −0.66 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  3. SocioeconomicsBest States to Raise a FamilyA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.65 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  4. FTE Convictions RankMost Corrupt StatesA rank: rank 1 is the worst
    r = −0.63 · strong · n = 50
    Plot
  5. OpportunityBest States to Live InA rank: rank 1 is the best
    r = +0.62 · strong · n = 49
    Plot
  6. Skin Cancer RatesSkin Cancer Rates by State
    r = −0.60 · strong · n = 48
    Plot

Quick answers

Which state has the highest Gini Coefficient?
New York has the highest Gini Coefficient in 2024, at 0.52, followed by District of Columbia (0.52) and Connecticut (0.5).
Which state has the lowest Gini Coefficient?
Utah has the lowest Gini Coefficient in 2024, at 0.42.
What is the median Gini Coefficient across US states?
The median is 0.47 across the 51 US states with data in 2024.
Where does this income inequality by state data come from?
Rankodex compiles it from World Population Review and the primary sources it cites: List of U.S. states and territories by income inequality - Wikipedia; The new gilded age - Economic Policy Institute; GINI Index - United States Census Bureau; Income inequality (Gini Coefficient) - SHADAC.