What is gini coefficient (before tax) in United States?

Gini coefficient (before tax) in United States was 0.5869 in 2024, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in United States?

The highest recorded value was 0.6008 in 1934.

What is the lowest gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in United States?

The lowest recorded value was 0.4427 in 1970.

How does United States rank for gini coefficient (before tax)?

United States ranks 38th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.

Is gini coefficient (before tax) rising or falling in United States?

Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.

Where does this United States data come from?

The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gini coefficient (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Gini coefficient (before tax) in United States

Name: Gini coefficient (before tax) in United States
Creator: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

United States: Gini coefficient (before tax) was 0.5869 in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)

0.5869

Change on year

unchanged

World rank

38th

of 113 countries

All-time high

0.6008

in 1934

All-time low

0.4427

in 1970

Years of data

112

1913–2024

Gini coefficient (before tax) in United States, 1913–2024

Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

Analysis

United States recorded 0.5869 for gini coefficient (before tax) in 2024.

The figure is up 0.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, gini coefficient (before tax) in United States peaked at 0.6008 in 1934 and was at its lowest, 0.4427, in 1970.

United States ranks 38th of 113 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1910s	0.5635	0.555	0.5756	7
1920s	0.5787	0.5377	0.5957	10
1930s	0.5871	0.5594	0.6008	10
1940s	0.5169	0.4736	0.5782	10
1950s	0.4827	0.475	0.4956	10
1960s	0.4702	0.4439	0.4897	10
1970s	0.4508	0.4427	0.456	10
1980s	0.486	0.454	0.5145	10
1990s	0.5285	0.5114	0.5467	10
2000s	0.5542	0.5402	0.5678	10
2010s	0.5799	0.5675	0.5851	10
2020s	0.5838	0.5739	0.5883	5

Countries ranked near United States

35 Sri Lanka 0.5911 compare
36 Jordan 0.5898 compare
37 Malawi 0.5885 compare
39 Gambia 0.5864 compare
40 Cambodia 0.5805 compare
41 Burkina Faso 0.5796 compare

See the full ranking of 113 places →

More poverty & inequality data for United States

Number of income/consumption surveys in the past decade available via the World Bank 9 surveys (2025)
Fertility rate vs. share living in extreme poverty 1.62 live births per woman (2023)
Cereal yield vs. share in extreme poverty 8,414 kg per hectare (2024)
Tax revenue as share of GDP vs. income inequality 24.8% (2023)
Gender Inequality Index 0.169 (2023)
Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in women 0.0958 (2023)
Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient by sex 0.0958 (2023)
Lifespan inequality: Gini coefficient in men 0.1179 (2023)
Share of government consumption in GDP vs. share of population living in extreme poverty 11.7% (2023)
Income inequality: Atkinson index 0.2393 (2023)

All data for United States →

Frequently asked questions

What is gini coefficient (before tax) in United States?: Gini coefficient (before tax) in United States was 0.5869 in 2024, according to World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in United States?: The highest recorded value was 0.6008 in 1934.
What is the lowest gini coefficient (before tax) recorded in United States?: The lowest recorded value was 0.4427 in 1970.
How does United States rank for gini coefficient (before tax)?: United States ranks 38th out of 113 countries with data for 2024.
Is gini coefficient (before tax) rising or falling in United States?: Over the last ten years it is up 0.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this United States data come from?: The figures come from World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Gini coefficient (before tax). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 112 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator: Gini coefficient (before tax)
Source: World Inequality Database (WID.world) (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 113 places, 3,075 data points, 1820–2024
Last refreshed: 07 August 2026

The Gini coefficient measures inequality on a scale from 0 to 1. Higher values indicate higher inequality. Inequality is measured here in terms of income before taxes and benefits.