Regional Income Inequality in the United States: 1969–2017

Abstract:

This article contains an analysis of the nation’s 100 lowest and 100 highest per capita income counties in the United States from 1969 to 2017. The low-income counties are very different from the high-income counties. Compared to the high-income counties, the low-income counties are generally small, mainly rural, and geographically concentrated. The people of the low-income counties are also more likely to be from minority groups than the people of either the nation or the high-income counties. Despite major institutional and technological change, both groups of counties exhibit considerable stability over the last half century. A reasonable assertion from the analysis is that the nature of regional income inequality is not likely to change substantially over the next half-century.

Keywords:

• U.S. counties
• income inequality
• regional development

JEL Classification Codes::

• I3
• B52
• R1

Additional information

Notes on contributors

James T. Peach

James T. Peach is Emeritus Regents Professor of economics.

Richard V. Adkisson

Richard V. Adkisson is Emeritus Professor of economics, both at New Mexico State University.