Cities Where Income Inequality Increased Most – 2025 Study

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The most recent estimates put American median median income at $ 75,000 at $ 80,000. But these figures do not take into account the degree of the gap between the highest and the lowest employees, a metric which can demonstrate the diversity of financial realities within a community. Through the United States, the 20% highest of employees earns at least $ 4.61 for each $ 1 that the 20% of salaries provide. In some places, this multiple reaches more than $ 7.

To discover where this propagation increases – and where it is the highest – Smartasset ranked 96 of the largest American cities according to the percentage of increased income inequality between the highest and lowest income employees on a year.

• Income inequality has increased the most to Madison, Wi. The income extended between the highest and lowest quintiles increased by 4.56% to Madison from one year to the next. In 2024, the most united households won at least $ 4.30 for each dollar brought by the lowest households. This increased by $ 4.24 in 2023. The median household income of Madison rose from $ 77,653 to $ 85,189 in this same period.

• The high wages are almost 8 times the lowest employees of this city. New Orleans, the highest unequal inequality with a multiple of $ 7.91 on profits between the highest 20% and 20% of households. This has remained quite constant from year to year with a 0.4% increase in spread.

• Income inequality is the weakest in Boisse, id. The best paid households in Boise earn at least $ 3.90 for each dollar earned by the lowest quintile of employees. Propagation has decreased a little by year, from -0.9%. Chesapeake, goes to the second lowest income inequality with $ 3.95 multiple, and saw the third highest increase from year to 4.4%.

• Income inequality decreased 11.2% in Richmond, VA. Richmond has seen about three times more deceleration in the inequality of income than the following city (Laredo, TX). The highest employees have gone to earn at least $ 4.56 for each dollar earned by the lowest 20% of employees in 2023, a spread of $ 4.04 in 2024.

The cities are classified according to the variation as a percentage of the ratio between the profit threshold for the 20% higher of employees and the lowest 20% of employees.

1. Madison, won

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 4.56%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 4.30

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 4.11

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 85,189

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 77,653

2. Chesapeake, go

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 4.41%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 3.95

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 3.78

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 87,127

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 87,057

3. Oakland, CA

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 3.24%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 5.41

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 5.24

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 121,190

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 108,971

4. Fremont, that(On par with Oakland, CA)

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 3.24%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 5.41

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 5.24

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 121,190

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 108,971

5. Austin, tx

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 3.03%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 4.48

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 4.35

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 68,630

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 68,150

6. Omaha,

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 2.85%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 4.51

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 4.38

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 74,424

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 69,475

7. Denver, Co

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 2.35%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 4.89

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 4.77

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 87,619

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 81,262

8. Baltimore, MD

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 2.18%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 4.40

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 4.30

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 86,19

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 80,159

9. Bakersfield, CA

   • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 2.13%

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 4.96

   • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 4.85

   • Median household income, 2024: $ 65,981

   • Median household income, 2023: $ 57,926

10. Aurora, Co

    • Percentage of variation in the propagation of income: 1.98%

    • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2024: $ 4.05

    • Ratio of the profit threshold for the 20% higher compared to the 20% lower, 2023: $ 3.97

    • Median household income, 2024: $ 93,525

    • Median household income, 2023: $ 84,308

History continues