Inequality Deepening in U.S. Metros of all Sizes and Locations

A recent post by Richard Florida, working in partnership with the Martin Prosperity Institute, examines where (and how much) income inequality grew in U.S. metros between 2006 and 2012.

1 minute read

August 5, 2014, 7:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


To describe Florida's findings on inequality in broad strokes, the country's overall distribution in inequality is similar, but deepening. In fact, "income inequality has risen in roughly two thirds of all U.S. metros, both large and small."

For a more granular analysis, Florida provides the following among a number of maps and concepts used to describe the data presented in the article:

"New Orleans, Jacksonville, Salt Lake City, and Atlanta, among large metros, saw inequality rise the most. But the largest absolute increases in inequality occurred mainly in smaller metros in the South and throughout the middle of the country, including Columbia, Missouri; Wausau, Wisconsin; Ithaca, New York; Dalton, Georgia; St. George, Utah; Lewiston-Auburn, Maine; Corvallis, Oregon; Grand Forks, North Dakota; Hanford-Corcoran, California; and Anderson, South Carolina. In contrast, inequality only nudged up slightly in New York, D.C., L.A., San Jose, San Francisco and Boston." 

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