Ranking the Ten Most Unequal U.S. Cities

According to a recent ranking by Bloomberg, Miami is the most unequal city in America.

1 minute read

October 9, 2016, 1:00 PM PDT

By Casey Brazeal @northandclark


Miami

Sean Pavone / Shutterstock

Sarah Ponczek and Wei Lu have updated Bloomberg's yearly list of most unequal cities and Miami has claimed the dubious honor of top spot. Other cities that ranked high include: Atlanta, New Orleans, and New York. To make the list, "Bloomberg ordered large cities – those with populations of at least 250,000 – based on the Gini coefficient."

According to Ponczek and Lu, the story of Miami is a mixed bag. While the city has seen incomes rise for those in the top quintiles of earners, it has shrunk for those in the lowest quintile. The city is becoming more unequal in both directions at the same time, a phenomenon that is only exacerbated by property markets.

Economist Nathaniel Karp described the city's situation this way, "Miami, like most other major cities, wants to nurture higher-skill technology jobs. But what would actually help narrow the inequality gap is a solid recovery in retail, lodging and recreation."

Wednesday, October 5, 2016 in Bloomberg

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Use Code 25for25 at checkout for 25% off an annual plan!

Redlining map of Oakland and Berkeley.

Rethinking Redlining

For decades we have blamed 100-year-old maps for the patterns of spatial racial inequity that persist in American cities today. An esteemed researcher says: we’ve got it all wrong.

May 15, 2025 - Alan Mallach

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

May 21, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of California High-Speed Rail station with bullet train.

California High-Speed Rail's Plan to Right Itself

The railroad's new CEO thinks he can get the project back on track. The stars will need to align this summer.

May 19, 2025 - Benjamin Schneider

Flat modern glass office tower with "County of Santa Clara" sign.

Santa Clara County Dedicates Over $28M to Affordable Housing

The county is funding over 600 new affordable housing units via revenue from a 2016 bond measure.

6 hours ago - San Francisco Chronicle

Aerial view of dense urban center with lines indicating smart city concept.

Why a Failed ‘Smart City’ Is Still Relevant

A Google-backed proposal to turn an underused section of Toronto waterfront into a tech hub holds relevant lessons about privacy and data.

7 hours ago - Governing

Pale yellow Sears kit house with red tile roof in Sylva, North Carolina.

When Sears Pioneered Modular Housing

Kit homes sold in catalogs like Sears and Montgomery Ward made homeownership affordable for midcentury Americans.

May 23 - The Daily Yonder