A report published this morning by the U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) examines the issue at the metro area level, highlighting a wide wage disparity across many regions. The analysis, conducted by IHS Global Insight, projects further income inequality in the coming years, calling it a “structural feature of the 21st century economy.”
Although the economy finally reached pre-recession job levels nationally earlier this year, the report notes that many of these new jobs pay substantially lower wages. The manufacturing and construction industries still haven’t recovered, while the fastest growing segments of the economy tend to be lower-paying jobs in hospitality, health care and administrative support.
Nationally, the average wage of jobs lost from 2008 to 2009 was $61,637, compared to $47,171 for positions gained since. This wage gap of 23 percent is much larger than that of other recent economic recession recoveries, according to the report.
USCM recently formed a task force to study policies around the issue, led by New York Mayor Bill de Blasio and Boston Mayor Martin Walsh.
To assess metro area household income, the report grouped median household income into three categories: less than $35,000; $35,000-75,000; and greater than $75,000. In 2012, roughly a third of U.S. households fell into each group. Using these groups, the authors computed a ratio comparing the lowest and highest income distribution within each metro area. A ratio value of 1 means that the share of upper and lower-income households is equal, while higher values represents metro areas with more poorer households.
This is different than traditional measures of income inequality, but it does help to illustrate how local income distributions compare to national averages.
Smaller metros, primarily concentrated in the South, were shown to have the largest shares of low-income households. On the opposite end of the spectrum were Washington, San Jose and other areas with a much higher cost of living.
| Metro Area | Households Earning < $35K | Households Earning $35K-$74,999 | Households Earning $75K+ | MSA Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX Metro Area | 41.0% | 35.0% | 24.0% | 1.71 |
| Akron, OH Metro Area | 35.5% | 34.2% | 30.4% | 1.17 |
| Albany, GA Metro Area | 50.5% | 28.4% | 21.1% | 2.39 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY Metro Area | 29.2% | 31.8% | 39.1% | 0.75 |
| Albuquerque, NM Metro Area | 38.8% | 31.5% | 29.7% | 1.31 |
| Alexandria, LA Metro Area | 43.7% | 33.1% | 23.3% | 1.88 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ Metro Area | 29.4% | 34.8% | 35.7% | 0.82 |
| Altoona, PA Metro Area | 41.4% | 37.4% | 21.2% | 1.95 |
| Amarillo, TX Metro Area | 39.5% | 32.5% | 28.1% | 1.41 |
| Ames, IA Metro Area | 38.6% | 31.0% | 30.3% | 1.27 |
| Anchorage, AK Metro Area | 21.9% | 30.2% | 48.0% | 0.46 |
| Anderson, IN Metro Area | 40.2% | 37.9% | 21.9% | 1.84 |
| Anderson, SC Metro Area | 43.9% | 33.0% | 23.1% | 1.90 |
| Ann Arbor, MI Metro Area | 32.7% | 28.6% | 38.6% | 0.85 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL Metro Area | 45.4% | 34.4% | 20.2% | 2.25 |
| Appleton, WI Metro Area | 27.2% | 35.0% | 37.8% | 0.72 |
| Asheville, NC Metro Area | 40.0% | 35.1% | 25.0% | 1.60 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA Metro Area | 46.4% | 27.2% | 26.3% | 1.76 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA Metro Area | 32.2% | 31.9% | 35.8% | 0.90 |
| Atlantic City, NJ Metro Area | 34.5% | 32.7% | 32.7% | 1.06 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL Metro Area | 41.7% | 28.7% | 29.5% | 1.41 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC Metro Area | 39.5% | 32.0% | 28.5% | 1.39 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX Metro Area | 28.9% | 31.4% | 39.7% | 0.73 |
| Bakersfield, CA Metro Area | 39.3% | 31.8% | 28.9% | 1.36 |
| Baltimore-Towson, MD Metro Area | 26.2% | 28.7% | 45.1% | 0.58 |
| Bangor, ME Metro Area | 42.3% | 35.5% | 22.2% | 1.91 |
| Barnstable Town, MA Metro Area | 28.9% | 31.8% | 39.4% | 0.73 |
| Baton Rouge, LA Metro Area | 36.3% | 31.1% | 32.7% | 1.11 |
| Battle Creek, MI Metro Area | 44.5% | 33.2% | 22.2% | 2.00 |
| Bay City, MI Metro Area | 39.3% | 36.4% | 24.3% | 1.62 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX Metro Area | 41.3% | 31.1% | 27.5% | 1.50 |
| Bellingham, WA Metro Area | 35.4% | 33.9% | 30.6% | 1.16 |
| Bend, OR Metro Area | 36.2% | 33.6% | 30.2% | 1.20 |
| Billings, MT Metro Area | 34.2% | 36.4% | 29.3% | 1.17 |
| Binghamton, NY Metro Area | 37.6% | 32.8% | 29.5% | 1.27 |
| Birmingham-Hoover, AL Metro Area | 38.5% | 31.4% | 30.1% | 1.28 |
| Bismarck, ND Metro Area | 23.3% | 36.3% | 40.5% | 0.58 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA Metro Area | 42.4% | 33.4% | 24.2% | 1.75 |
| Bloomington, IN Metro Area | 45.2% | 31.3% | 23.4% | 1.93 |
| Bloomington-Normal, IL Metro Area | 30.3% | 29.9% | 39.8% | 0.76 |
| Boise City-Nampa, ID Metro Area | 35.7% | 36.2% | 28.4% | 1.26 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH Metro Area | 26.0% | 26.0% | 47.9% | 0.54 |
| Boulder, CO Metro Area | 26.8% | 27.8% | 45.5% | 0.59 |
| Bowling Green, KY Metro Area | 42.1% | 35.0% | 22.9% | 1.84 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA Metro Area | 26.1% | 36.0% | 37.8% | 0.69 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT Metro Area | 23.1% | 24.4% | 52.5% | 0.44 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX Metro Area | 55.1% | 28.4% | 16.4% | 3.36 |
| Brunswick, GA Metro Area | 39.1% | 34.4% | 26.4% | 1.48 |
| Buffalo-Niagara Falls, NY Metro Area | 36.7% | 31.7% | 31.7% | 1.16 |
| Burlington, NC Metro Area | 44.5% | 32.3% | 23.1% | 1.93 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT Metro Area | 27.5% | 32.6% | 39.9% | 0.69 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH Metro Area | 38.3% | 36.9% | 24.8% | 1.54 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL Metro Area | 37.0% | 36.4% | 26.4% | 1.40 |
| Casper, WY Metro Area | 31.0% | 32.7% | 36.3% | 0.85 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA Metro Area | 30.4% | 33.1% | 36.4% | 0.84 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL Metro Area | 37.8% | 31.5% | 30.8% | 1.23 |
| Charleston, WV Metro Area | 38.3% | 34.2% | 27.5% | 1.39 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC Metro Area | 34.1% | 35.6% | 30.4% | 1.12 |
| Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC Metro Area | 33.0% | 32.6% | 34.5% | 0.96 |
| Charlottesville, VA Metro Area | 27.9% | 30.4% | 41.8% | 0.67 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA Metro Area | 41.0% | 32.5% | 26.4% | 1.55 |
| Cheyenne, WY Metro Area | 31.5% | 32.5% | 35.9% | 0.88 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI Metro Area | 30.4% | 30.1% | 39.5% | 0.77 |
| Chico, CA Metro Area | 43.1% | 32.2% | 24.5% | 1.76 |
| Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN Metro Area | 34.1% | 31.8% | 34.0% | 1.00 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY Metro Area | 39.4% | 37.9% | 22.7% | 1.74 |
| Cleveland, TN Metro Area | 46.7% | 33.2% | 20.1% | 2.32 |
| Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH Metro Area | 38.9% | 31.1% | 30.1% | 1.29 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID Metro Area | 35.7% | 38.6% | 25.7% | 1.39 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX Metro Area | 44.5% | 29.1% | 26.3% | 1.69 |
| Colorado Springs, CO Metro Area | 29.8% | 33.4% | 36.7% | 0.81 |
| Columbia, MO Metro Area | 41.9% | 29.1% | 29.1% | 1.44 |
| Columbia, SC Metro Area | 35.7% | 34.4% | 30.0% | 1.19 |
| Columbus, GA-AL Metro Area | 41.8% | 32.8% | 25.2% | 1.66 |
| Columbus, IN Metro Area | 33.2% | 34.4% | 32.5% | 1.02 |
| Columbus, OH Metro Area | 32.3% | 33.1% | 34.5% | 0.94 |
| Corpus Christi, TX Metro Area | 36.6% | 34.0% | 29.3% | 1.25 |
| Corvallis, OR Metro Area | 37.8% | 26.6% | 35.7% | 1.06 |
| Cumberland, MD-WV Metro Area | 49.2% | 31.3% | 19.5% | 2.52 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX Metro Area | 30.6% | 31.9% | 37.5% | 0.82 |
| Dalton, GA Metro Area | 52.0% | 31.9% | 16.0% | 3.25 |
| Danville, IL Metro Area | 43.7% | 30.8% | 25.5% | 1.71 |
| Danville, VA Metro Area | 47.4% | 33.2% | 19.2% | 2.47 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Metro Area | 34.4% | 34.0% | 31.8% | 1.08 |
| Dayton, OH Metro Area | 38.5% | 34.2% | 27.2% | 1.42 |
| Decatur, AL Metro Area | 44.0% | 30.3% | 25.8% | 1.71 |
| Decatur, IL Metro Area | 41.4% | 32.0% | 26.6% | 1.56 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL Metro Area | 43.6% | 34.9% | 21.5% | 2.03 |
| Denver-Aurora, CO Metro Area | 28.0% | 31.3% | 40.7% | 0.69 |
| Des Moines, IA Metro Area | 28.4% | 33.7% | 38.1% | 0.75 |
| Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI Metro Area | 36.0% | 31.0% | 33.1% | 1.09 |
| Dothan, AL Metro Area | 47.2% | 29.8% | 23.1% | 2.04 |
| Dover, DE Metro Area | 30.8% | 34.1% | 35.1% | 0.88 |
| Dubuque, IA Metro Area | 36.1% | 34.6% | 29.5% | 1.22 |
| Duluth, MN-WI Metro Area | 37.7% | 36.3% | 26.0% | 1.45 |
| Durham, NC Metro Area | 35.8% | 31.3% | 32.8% | 1.09 |
| Eau Claire, WI Metro Area | 38.3% | 34.9% | 26.8% | 1.43 |
| El Centro, CA Metro Area | 46.5% | 30.5% | 23.0% | 2.02 |
| El Paso, TX Metro Area | 44.7% | 32.2% | 22.9% | 1.95 |
| Elizabethtown, KY Metro Area | 35.7% | 36.6% | 27.6% | 1.29 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN Metro Area | 36.6% | 39.2% | 24.2% | 1.51 |
| Elmira, NY Metro Area | 42.4% | 30.0% | 27.6% | 1.54 |
| Erie, PA Metro Area | 38.6% | 34.1% | 27.4% | 1.41 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR Metro Area | 43.4% | 31.7% | 24.7% | 1.76 |
| Evansville, IN-KY Metro Area | 38.8% | 33.4% | 27.8% | 1.40 |
| Fairbanks, AK Metro Area | 25.6% | 33.5% | 40.9% | 0.63 |
| Fargo, ND-MN Metro Area | 31.7% | 36.2% | 32.0% | 0.99 |
| Farmington, NM Metro Area | 40.9% | 29.0% | 30.0% | 1.36 |
| Fayetteville, NC Metro Area | 38.3% | 38.6% | 23.1% | 1.66 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO Metro Area | 37.7% | 35.5% | 26.8% | 1.41 |
| Flagstaff, AZ Metro Area | 39.4% | 32.3% | 28.2% | 1.40 |
| Flint, MI Metro Area | 43.6% | 34.1% | 22.2% | 1.96 |
| Florence, SC Metro Area | 46.0% | 30.3% | 23.7% | 1.94 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL Metro Area | 42.4% | 32.9% | 24.7% | 1.72 |
| Fond du Lac, WI Metro Area | 29.1% | 42.0% | 29.0% | 1.00 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO Metro Area | 32.2% | 30.5% | 37.3% | 0.86 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area | 48.6% | 34.0% | 17.4% | 2.79 |
| Fort Walton Beach-Crestview-Destin, FL Metro Area | 32.3% | 35.6% | 32.2% | 1.00 |
| Fort Wayne, IN Metro Area | 34.5% | 37.9% | 27.6% | 1.25 |
| Fresno, CA Metro Area | 43.3% | 30.6% | 26.1% | 1.66 |
| Gadsden, AL Metro Area | 50.7% | 31.2% | 18.0% | 2.82 |
| Gainesville, FL Metro Area | 45.7% | 26.6% | 27.8% | 1.64 |
| Gainesville, GA Metro Area | 35.4% | 35.8% | 28.8% | 1.23 |
| Glens Falls, NY Metro Area | 32.2% | 37.0% | 30.8% | 1.05 |
| Goldsboro, NC Metro Area | 47.1% | 31.6% | 21.3% | 2.21 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN Metro Area | 40.9% | 30.8% | 28.3% | 1.45 |
| Grand Junction, CO Metro Area | 36.0% | 36.4% | 27.6% | 1.30 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI Metro Area | 34.5% | 35.9% | 29.7% | 1.16 |
| Great Falls, MT Metro Area | 42.1% | 33.9% | 24.2% | 1.74 |
| Greeley, CO Metro Area | 30.4% | 34.2% | 35.4% | 0.86 |
| Green Bay, WI Metro Area | 33.4% | 34.7% | 31.9% | 1.05 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC Metro Area | 41.4% | 34.0% | 24.7% | 1.68 |
| Greenville, NC Metro Area | 47.2% | 30.2% | 22.7% | 2.08 |
| Greenville, SC Metro Area | 41.6% | 31.2% | 27.0% | 1.54 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS Metro Area | 42.2% | 33.9% | 23.8% | 1.77 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV Metro Area | 33.6% | 33.3% | 33.0% | 1.02 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA Metro Area | 37.5% | 36.1% | 26.3% | 1.43 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA Metro Area | 30.4% | 35.0% | 34.6% | 0.88 |
| Harrisonburg, VA Metro Area | 40.0% | 34.8% | 25.2% | 1.59 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT Metro Area | 27.3% | 28.3% | 44.4% | 0.61 |
| Hattiesburg, MS Metro Area | 47.9% | 32.5% | 19.7% | 2.43 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Metro Area | 47.6% | 32.8% | 19.6% | 2.43 |
| Holland-Grand Haven, MI Metro Area | 28.4% | 39.4% | 32.2% | 0.88 |
| Honolulu, HI Metro Area | 22.5% | 30.1% | 47.5% | 0.47 |
| Hot Springs, AR Metro Area | 44.5% | 30.9% | 24.6% | 1.81 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA Metro Area | 36.6% | 32.7% | 30.7% | 1.19 |
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX Metro Area | 31.6% | 30.5% | 37.9% | 0.83 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH Metro Area | 46.3% | 31.8% | 21.9% | 2.11 |
| Huntsville, AL Metro Area | 31.7% | 30.9% | 37.3% | 0.85 |
| Idaho Falls, ID Metro Area | 33.1% | 38.2% | 28.7% | 1.15 |
| Indianapolis, IN Metro Area | 33.4% | 32.5% | 34.2% | 0.98 |
| Iowa City, IA Metro Area | 34.4% | 31.2% | 34.4% | 1.00 |
| Ithaca, NY Metro Area | 35.2% | 32.2% | 32.6% | 1.08 |
| Jackson, MI Metro Area | 40.7% | 35.9% | 23.5% | 1.73 |
| Jackson, MS Metro Area | 41.3% | 31.3% | 27.4% | 1.51 |
| Jackson, TN Metro Area | 44.7% | 29.2% | 26.1% | 1.71 |
| Jacksonville, FL Metro Area | 36.9% | 32.8% | 30.3% | 1.22 |
| Jacksonville, NC Metro Area | 36.1% | 42.8% | 21.3% | 1.69 |
| Janesville, WI Metro Area | 37.2% | 36.1% | 26.9% | 1.38 |
| Jefferson City, MO Metro Area | 39.1% | 33.9% | 27.0% | 1.45 |
| Johnson City, TN Metro Area | 45.0% | 35.8% | 19.2% | 2.34 |
| Johnstown, PA Metro Area | 43.6% | 34.5% | 21.9% | 1.99 |
| Jonesboro, AR Metro Area | 41.1% | 34.5% | 24.4% | 1.68 |
| Joplin, MO Metro Area | 45.0% | 34.6% | 20.3% | 2.22 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI Metro Area | 41.3% | 32.5% | 26.2% | 1.58 |
| Kankakee-Bradley, IL Metro Area | 33.8% | 33.9% | 32.3% | 1.05 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS Metro Area | 31.4% | 33.2% | 35.4% | 0.89 |
| Kennewick-Richland-Pasco, WA Metro Area | 30.5% | 31.8% | 37.6% | 0.81 |
| Killeen-Temple-Fort Hood, TX Metro Area | 34.9% | 36.7% | 28.3% | 1.23 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA Metro Area | 46.4% | 33.2% | 20.3% | 2.29 |
| Kingston, NY Metro Area | 31.3% | 30.5% | 38.1% | 0.82 |
| Knoxville, TN Metro Area | 40.2% | 32.6% | 27.2% | 1.48 |
| Kokomo, IN Metro Area | 43.2% | 32.4% | 24.4% | 1.77 |
| La Crosse, WI-MN Metro Area | 35.3% | 34.4% | 30.3% | 1.17 |
| Lafayette, IN Metro Area | 39.2% | 33.6% | 27.1% | 1.45 |
| Lafayette, LA Metro Area | 39.0% | 30.1% | 30.8% | 1.27 |
| Lake Charles, LA Metro Area | 40.8% | 32.5% | 26.7% | 1.53 |
| Lakeland, FL Metro Area | 41.7% | 36.7% | 21.6% | 1.93 |
| Lancaster, PA Metro Area | 29.4% | 36.6% | 34.0% | 0.86 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI Metro Area | 37.4% | 33.7% | 28.9% | 1.29 |
| Laredo, TX Metro Area | 48.2% | 31.0% | 20.7% | 2.33 |
| Las Cruces, NM Metro Area | 47.6% | 29.9% | 22.6% | 2.11 |
| Las Vegas-Paradise, NV Metro Area | 34.6% | 36.0% | 29.5% | 1.17 |
| Lawrence, KS Metro Area | 37.1% | 32.6% | 30.2% | 1.23 |
| Lawton, OK Metro Area | 36.8% | 38.2% | 25.0% | 1.47 |
| Lebanon, PA Metro Area | 31.8% | 37.0% | 31.1% | 1.02 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME Metro Area | 40.3% | 32.6% | 27.2% | 1.48 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY Metro Area | 37.0% | 31.4% | 31.6% | 1.17 |
| Lima, OH Metro Area | 42.1% | 36.7% | 21.2% | 1.99 |
| Lincoln, NE Metro Area | 33.8% | 34.2% | 31.9% | 1.06 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR Metro Area | 37.2% | 33.4% | 29.4% | 1.27 |
| Logan, UT-ID Metro Area | 36.7% | 38.9% | 24.3% | 1.51 |
| Longview, TX Metro Area | 40.4% | 34.4% | 25.2% | 1.60 |
| Longview, WA Metro Area | 36.5% | 39.0% | 24.5% | 1.49 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA Metro Area | 31.5% | 29.5% | 38.9% | 0.81 |
| Louisville, KY-IN Metro Area | 36.6% | 33.5% | 29.9% | 1.22 |
| Lubbock, TX Metro Area | 42.5% | 32.2% | 25.3% | 1.68 |
| Lynchburg, VA Metro Area | 39.2% | 34.7% | 26.3% | 1.49 |
| Macon, GA Metro Area | 44.8% | 31.0% | 24.2% | 1.85 |
| Madera, CA Metro Area | 42.2% | 34.1% | 23.5% | 1.80 |
| Madison, WI Metro Area | 28.9% | 32.8% | 38.3% | 0.75 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH Metro Area | 23.9% | 29.2% | 46.8% | 0.51 |
| Mansfield, OH Metro Area | 42.3% | 36.1% | 21.6% | 1.96 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX Metro Area | 51.5% | 28.8% | 19.6% | 2.63 |
| Medford, OR Metro Area | 37.1% | 38.8% | 24.2% | 1.53 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area | 39.8% | 32.0% | 28.2% | 1.41 |
| Merced, CA Metro Area | 42.1% | 32.3% | 25.8% | 1.63 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, FL Metro Area | 38.3% | 31.4% | 30.2% | 1.27 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN Metro Area | 37.6% | 36.7% | 25.7% | 1.46 |
| Midland, TX Metro Area | 26.3% | 33.2% | 40.3% | 0.65 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI Metro Area | 34.7% | 31.3% | 34.2% | 1.01 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metro Area | 25.3% | 30.8% | 43.9% | 0.58 |
| Missoula, MT Metro Area | 38.3% | 35.5% | 26.3% | 1.46 |
| Mobile, AL Metro Area | 45.5% | 31.9% | 22.7% | 2.00 |
| Modesto, CA Metro Area | 37.6% | 33.8% | 28.4% | 1.32 |
| Monroe, LA Metro Area | 50.1% | 26.7% | 23.2% | 2.16 |
| Monroe, MI Metro Area | 33.2% | 35.0% | 31.9% | 1.04 |
| Montgomery, AL Metro Area | 38.5% | 34.7% | 26.8% | 1.44 |
| Morgantown, WV Metro Area | 44.8% | 30.8% | 24.4% | 1.84 |
| Morristown, TN Metro Area | 46.1% | 35.9% | 18.0% | 2.56 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA Metro Area | 31.8% | 34.0% | 34.2% | 0.93 |
| Muncie, IN Metro Area | 47.6% | 33.1% | 19.3% | 2.47 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI Metro Area | 43.6% | 34.1% | 22.3% | 1.96 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC Metro Area | 44.0% | 34.7% | 21.4% | 2.06 |
| Napa, CA Metro Area | 23.3% | 30.9% | 45.9% | 0.51 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL Metro Area | 32.8% | 30.6% | 36.6% | 0.90 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro, TN Metro Area | 33.5% | 34.1% | 32.5% | 1.03 |
| New Haven-Milford, CT Metro Area | 31.5% | 28.3% | 40.1% | 0.79 |
| New Orleans-Metairie-Kenner, LA Metro Area | 41.1% | 29.7% | 29.1% | 1.41 |
| New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA Metro Area | 29.7% | 26.5% | 43.7% | 0.68 |
| Niles-Benton Harbor, MI Metro Area | 40.8% | 33.8% | 25.4% | 1.61 |
| Norwich-New London, CT Metro Area | 26.5% | 28.9% | 44.7% | 0.59 |
| Ocala, FL Metro Area | 46.5% | 35.3% | 18.2% | 2.55 |
| Ocean City, NJ Metro Area | 29.6% | 34.6% | 35.7% | 0.83 |
| Odessa, TX Metro Area | 34.8% | 32.3% | 33.0% | 1.05 |
| Ogden-Clearfield, UT Metro Area | 23.9% | 37.6% | 38.6% | 0.62 |
| Oklahoma City, OK Metro Area | 36.3% | 33.5% | 30.1% | 1.21 |
| Olympia, WA Metro Area | 27.9% | 36.0% | 36.0% | 0.78 |
| Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area | 31.6% | 33.7% | 34.8% | 0.91 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL Metro Area | 38.1% | 33.8% | 28.1% | 1.36 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI Metro Area | 31.3% | 38.3% | 30.3% | 1.03 |
| Owensboro, KY Metro Area | 42.0% | 33.4% | 24.7% | 1.70 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metro Area | 22.7% | 29.4% | 47.9% | 0.47 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL Metro Area | 38.4% | 33.5% | 28.1% | 1.37 |
| Panama City-Lynn Haven, FL Metro Area | 36.8% | 36.8% | 26.3% | 1.40 |
| Parkersburg-Marietta-Vienna, WV-OH Metro Area | 41.5% | 36.1% | 22.5% | 1.84 |
| Pascagoula, MS Metro Area | 40.3% | 33.9% | 25.8% | 1.56 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL Metro Area | 35.4% | 36.2% | 28.3% | 1.25 |
| Peoria, IL Metro Area | 32.6% | 32.6% | 34.8% | 0.94 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD Metro Area | 30.9% | 28.7% | 40.4% | 0.76 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ Metro Area | 33.6% | 33.5% | 33.0% | 1.02 |
| Pine Bluff, AR Metro Area | 48.5% | 32.9% | 18.6% | 2.61 |
| Pittsburgh, PA Metro Area | 35.7% | 32.5% | 31.8% | 1.12 |
| Pittsfield, MA Metro Area | 39.1% | 32.6% | 28.3% | 1.38 |
| Pocatello, ID Metro Area | 40.4% | 35.0% | 24.5% | 1.65 |
| Port St. Lucie-Fort Pierce, FL Metro Area | 39.2% | 33.9% | 26.9% | 1.46 |
| Portland-South Portland-Biddeford, ME Metro Area | 31.6% | 33.5% | 34.9% | 0.91 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, OR-WA Metro Area | 30.1% | 32.4% | 37.4% | 0.80 |
| Poughkeepsie-Newburgh-Middletown, NY Metro Area | 26.3% | 28.3% | 45.4% | 0.58 |
| Prescott, AZ Metro Area | 38.4% | 37.6% | 23.8% | 1.61 |
| Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA Metro Area | 33.8% | 30.4% | 36.0% | 0.94 |
| Provo-Orem, UT Metro Area | 27.2% | 37.1% | 35.8% | 0.76 |
| Pueblo, CO Metro Area | 42.2% | 35.8% | 22.1% | 1.91 |
| Punta Gorda, FL Metro Area | 39.4% | 37.8% | 22.8% | 1.73 |
| Racine, WI Metro Area | 32.2% | 35.2% | 32.4% | 0.99 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC Metro Area | 28.0% | 31.7% | 40.2% | 0.70 |
| Rapid City, SD Metro Area | 30.2% | 38.3% | 31.6% | 0.96 |
| Reading, PA Metro Area | 33.5% | 34.3% | 32.3% | 1.04 |
| Redding, CA Metro Area | 38.1% | 34.1% | 27.9% | 1.37 |
| Reno-Sparks, NV Metro Area | 37.0% | 32.6% | 30.4% | 1.22 |
| Richmond, VA Metro Area | 29.6% | 33.6% | 36.8% | 0.80 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA Metro Area | 34.0% | 32.5% | 33.5% | 1.01 |
| Roanoke, VA Metro Area | 38.5% | 34.3% | 27.3% | 1.41 |
| Rochester, MN Metro Area | 24.7% | 34.1% | 41.3% | 0.60 |
| Rochester, NY Metro Area | 35.2% | 32.9% | 32.0% | 1.10 |
| Rockford, IL Metro Area | 34.3% | 35.1% | 30.5% | 1.12 |
| Rocky Mount, NC Metro Area | 46.9% | 33.7% | 19.5% | 2.41 |
| Rome, GA Metro Area | 46.5% | 31.4% | 22.0% | 2.11 |
| Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA Metro Area | 31.5% | 30.9% | 37.4% | 0.84 |
| Saginaw-Saginaw Township North, MI Metro Area | 43.0% | 34.1% | 22.8% | 1.89 |
| Salem, OR Metro Area | 38.2% | 35.9% | 25.9% | 1.47 |
| Salinas, CA Metro Area | 29.2% | 33.9% | 37.0% | 0.79 |
| Salisbury, MD Metro Area | 38.9% | 32.1% | 28.9% | 1.35 |
| Salt Lake City, UT Metro Area | 27.9% | 34.5% | 37.7% | 0.74 |
| San Angelo, TX Metro Area | 39.1% | 33.3% | 27.7% | 1.41 |
| San Antonio, TX Metro Area | 34.0% | 33.5% | 32.6% | 1.04 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA Metro Area | 29.7% | 29.7% | 40.5% | 0.73 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA Metro Area | 24.6% | 25.5% | 49.8% | 0.49 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA Metro Area | 20.1% | 22.5% | 57.3% | 0.35 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA Metro Area | 27.4% | 31.6% | 41.1% | 0.67 |
| Sandusky, OH Metro Area | 38.2% | 32.1% | 29.8% | 1.28 |
| Santa Barbara-Santa Maria, CA Metro Area | 29.4% | 29.7% | 40.9% | 0.72 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA Metro Area | 25.3% | 29.3% | 45.4% | 0.56 |
| Santa Fe, NM Metro Area | 34.7% | 32.7% | 32.5% | 1.07 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA Metro Area | 28.0% | 31.3% | 40.6% | 0.69 |
| Sarasota-Bradenton-Venice, FL Metro Area | 37.7% | 33.2% | 29.0% | 1.30 |
| Savannah, GA Metro Area | 37.5% | 34.1% | 28.4% | 1.32 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA Metro Area | 42.0% | 31.9% | 26.0% | 1.62 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area | 25.2% | 30.8% | 43.9% | 0.57 |
| Sheboygan, WI Metro Area | 32.4% | 38.0% | 29.6% | 1.09 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX Metro Area | 38.0% | 33.4% | 28.6% | 1.33 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA Metro Area | 40.3% | 31.4% | 28.5% | 1.41 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD Metro Area | 38.9% | 35.0% | 26.2% | 1.48 |
| Sioux Falls, SD Metro Area | 29.9% | 38.0% | 32.0% | 0.93 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI Metro Area | 39.6% | 35.7% | 24.8% | 1.60 |
| Spartanburg, SC Metro Area | 43.0% | 33.9% | 23.0% | 1.87 |
| Spokane, WA Metro Area | 37.4% | 33.8% | 28.7% | 1.30 |
| Springfield, IL Metro Area | 32.0% | 33.0% | 35.0% | 0.91 |
| Springfield, MA Metro Area | 35.7% | 30.7% | 33.5% | 1.07 |
| Springfield, MO Metro Area | 41.4% | 36.6% | 22.2% | 1.86 |
| Springfield, OH Metro Area | 44.7% | 34.0% | 21.3% | 2.10 |
| St. Cloud, MN Metro Area | 32.8% | 32.5% | 34.6% | 0.95 |
| St. George, UT Metro Area | 38.0% | 37.8% | 24.1% | 1.58 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS Metro Area | 41.0% | 35.0% | 23.9% | 1.72 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL Metro Area | 34.1% | 31.9% | 33.9% | 1.01 |
| State College, PA Metro Area | 38.3% | 29.2% | 32.6% | 1.17 |
| Stockton, CA Metro Area | 35.6% | 31.4% | 33.1% | 1.08 |
| Sumter, SC Metro Area | 41.9% | 35.9% | 22.1% | 1.90 |
| Syracuse, NY Metro Area | 34.6% | 33.9% | 31.4% | 1.10 |
| Tallahassee, FL Metro Area | 41.1% | 31.1% | 27.9% | 1.47 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL Metro Area | 39.5% | 33.2% | 27.3% | 1.45 |
| Terre Haute, IN Metro Area | 44.5% | 33.2% | 22.4% | 1.99 |
| Texarkana, TX-Texarkana, AR Metro Area | 45.7% | 32.9% | 21.4% | 2.14 |
| Toledo, OH Metro Area | 41.5% | 31.6% | 26.9% | 1.54 |
| Topeka, KS Metro Area | 35.1% | 37.0% | 27.9% | 1.26 |
| Trenton-Ewing, NJ Metro Area | 26.9% | 26.9% | 46.2% | 0.58 |
| Tucson, AZ Metro Area | 39.9% | 32.5% | 27.6% | 1.45 |
| Tulsa, OK Metro Area | 36.8% | 34.6% | 28.5% | 1.29 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL Metro Area | 45.6% | 29.7% | 24.6% | 1.85 |
| Tyler, TX Metro Area | 39.0% | 32.4% | 28.5% | 1.37 |
| Utica-Rome, NY Metro Area | 38.8% | 34.9% | 26.4% | 1.47 |
| Valdosta, GA Metro Area | 47.5% | 31.3% | 21.2% | 2.24 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA Metro Area | 27.4% | 31.3% | 41.3% | 0.66 |
| Victoria, TX Metro Area | 34.9% | 35.1% | 29.9% | 1.17 |
| Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton, NJ Metro Area | 38.5% | 31.1% | 30.4% | 1.27 |
| Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC Metro Area | 30.0% | 34.1% | 36.1% | 0.83 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA Metro Area | 44.4% | 32.3% | 23.3% | 1.91 |
| Waco, TX Metro Area | 44.8% | 29.9% | 25.4% | 1.76 |
| Warner Robins, GA Metro Area | 31.2% | 34.1% | 34.7% | 0.90 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metro Area | 17.0% | 25.4% | 57.5% | 0.30 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Metro Area | 33.2% | 38.7% | 28.0% | 1.19 |
| Wausau, WI Metro Area | 30.8% | 38.5% | 30.6% | 1.01 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH Metro Area | 44.8% | 33.8% | 21.7% | 2.06 |
| Wenatchee, WA Metro Area | 34.0% | 37.8% | 28.2% | 1.21 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH Metro Area | 42.6% | 35.9% | 21.5% | 1.98 |
| Wichita, KS Metro Area | 35.3% | 35.7% | 29.1% | 1.21 |
| Wichita Falls, TX Metro Area | 37.6% | 34.7% | 27.7% | 1.36 |
| Williamsport, PA Metro Area | 38.3% | 34.6% | 27.0% | 1.42 |
| Wilmington, NC Metro Area | 35.0% | 34.9% | 30.1% | 1.16 |
| Winchester, VA-WV Metro Area | 36.7% | 28.3% | 35.0% | 1.05 |
| Winston-Salem, NC Metro Area | 42.8% | 30.9% | 26.2% | 1.63 |
| Worcester, MA Metro Area | 29.2% | 28.6% | 42.1% | 0.69 |
| Yakima, WA Metro Area | 39.0% | 35.3% | 25.8% | 1.51 |
| York-Hanover, PA Metro Area | 29.5% | 35.5% | 35.1% | 0.84 |
| Youngstown-Warren-Boardman, OH-PA Metro Area | 43.2% | 34.8% | 21.9% | 1.97 |
| Yuba City, CA Metro Area | 37.3% | 34.3% | 28.4% | 1.31 |
| Yuma, AZ Metro Area | 43.7% | 37.4% | 18.9% | 2.31 |
Source: IHS Global Insight, U.S. Conference of Mayors
In 261 of the 357 metros areas, the distribution of poorer households was larger than that of the top income bracket.
The size of each metro area’s middle class (click the middle column in the table to sort) is another measure worth reviewing. More than 40 percent of households fell into this bracket in Jacksonville, N.C., and Fond du Lac, Wisc., compared to only about a quarter of households in some of the more high-cost regions. Larger metro areas the report identified as having a relatively equal income distribution included Charlotte, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Phoenix, Providence, Riverside-San Bernardino and St. Louis.
