February 23rd, 2021
The GINI coefficient is a measure of income inequality that represents the degree of inequality on a scale of one to zero. A GINI coefficient of zero means there is perfect income equality – everyone has the same income. A GINI coefficient of one means that there is maximum income inequality – one person has all the wealth and everyone else has nothing. The GINI coefficient is a useful tool for understanding how evenly wealth is distributed in a community regardless of how wealthy the community is overall.
This map shows the GINI coefficient for every city and town in the Hudson Valley. The GINI coefficient for the United States is 0.48. Approximately 70% of municipalities in the Hudson Valley have a lower GINI coefficient (less income inequality) compared to the U.S. overall. The GINI coefficient for New York State is a bit higher, coming in at 0.51. Approximately 90% of Hudson Valley municipalities have a lower GINI coefficient than New York State overall.
