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Income Inequality

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SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY HAS LOWEST INCOME INEQUALITY AMONG AREAS COMPARED

Income inequality, or the gap between the rich and the poor, has been increasing in the United States since the 1980s and is higher than most industrialized countries. High income inequality is associated with poorer public health, reduced socioeconomic mobility, and reduced feelings of well-being among those at the low end of the income distribution.[1] This indicator measures the level of income inequality among households in San Bernardino County using the Gini Index. It also presents data on median income by race and ethnicity.

Gini Index Scale

Gini Index results range between zero (0) and one (1). A value of zero indicates complete equality, where all households have equal income. A value of one indicates complete inequality, where only one household has any income.

TREND

GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL

In 2021, San Bernardino County’s Gini Index score was 0.439, compared to 0.492 in California and 0.485 nationwide.  Among the 42 California counties with populations of 65,000 or more, San Bernardino County has less income inequality than all but six counties (San Joaquin, Placer, Sutter, Solano, Kings, and San Benito).  In comparison to selected peer and neighboring counties, San Bernardino County has the least income inequality.
San Bernardino County’s Gini Index has remained relatively stable, increasing 1% since 2017, when it was 0.434

LOWEST INCOME INEQUALITY AMONG COUNTIES COMPARED
County Comparison of the Gini Index of Income Inequality, 2021

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates (Table B19083)

LESS INCOME INEQUALITY IN SAN BERNARDINO THAN PEER REGIONS

County Comparison of the Gini Index of Income Inequality, 2021

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates (Table B19083)

[1] Reeves R. (2018). Restoring middle-class incomes: redistribution won’t do. Brookings Institute (www.brookings.com)

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm)

Pickett KE, Wilkinson, RG. (2015). Income inequality and health: A causal review.  Social Science & Medicine.  Vol.128

Oishi S, Kushlev K, et. al. (2018). Progressive Taxation, Income Inequality, and Happiness. American Psychologist, Vol.73(2)

Russell Sage Foundation. (2016). What we know about income inequality and social mobility in the United States (www.russellsage.org)

1Reeves R. (2018). Restoring middle-class incomes: redistribution won’t do. Brookings Institute (www.brookings.com) Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (https://data.oecd.org/inequality/income-inequality.htm) Pickett KE, Wilkinson, RG. (2015). Income inequality and health: A causal review. Social Science & Medicine. Vol.128 Oishi S, Kushlev K, et. al. (2018). Progressive Taxation, Income Inequality, and Happiness. American Psychologist, Vol.73(2) Russell Sage Foundation. (2016). What we know about income inequality and social mobility in the United States (www.russellsage.org)