Inequality Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

Inequality Statistics

Inequality reshapes life in sharp terms, from the latest EU redistributive effect where net inequality falls by 21% after taxes and transfers to a 2023 US poverty rate of 3.2% that sits alongside a 260 to 1 median CEO pay ratio. See how income and wealth split in different corners of the map, including Gini income inequality as low as 0.29 in Denmark and as high as 0.50 in Namibia, plus how the top 1% can hold 20% of pre tax income in the UK while the bottom 50% receives just 13% in the US.

36 statistics36 sources9 sections9 min readUpdated 8 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

0.40 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for South Africa (latest year shown in the dataset)

Statistic 2

0.34 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Brazil (latest year shown in the dataset)

Statistic 3

0.35 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Mexico (latest year shown in the dataset)

Statistic 4

0.50 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Namibia (latest year shown in the dataset)

Statistic 5

0.29 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Denmark (latest year shown in the dataset)

Statistic 6

0.43 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for the United States (latest year shown in the dataset)

Statistic 7

The top 1% received 20% of pre-tax national income in the United Kingdom (World Inequality Database / inequality share figures as shown by WID for UK)

Statistic 8

The bottom 50% received 13% of pre-tax national income in the United States (World Inequality Database / WID country profile for US shows the bottom 50% share)

Statistic 9

5.2x gap between the top 10% and bottom 10% incomes in Germany (ratio of equivalised disposable income, latest OECD year in dashboard).

Statistic 10

In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in France was 20% (World Inequality Database country profile for France shows top 1% wealth share)

Statistic 11

In 2023, the share of U.S. households with no retirement savings was 28% (Federal Reserve Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) data release summary)

Statistic 12

In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in India was 29% (World Inequality Database country profile for India shows top 1% wealth share)

Statistic 13

In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in China was 26% (World Inequality Database country profile for China shows top 1% wealth share)

Statistic 14

In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in South Africa was 13% (World Inequality Database country profile for South Africa shows top 1% wealth share)

Statistic 15

In 2022, the richest 10% in the EU owned 60% of total wealth (ECB Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS) inequality distribution results summary)

Statistic 16

In 2022, 51% of global poverty ($2.15/day) was concentrated in five countries (World Bank poverty estimates summary by country concentration for latest poverty year)

Statistic 17

In 2020, 11.4% of the U.S. population were below the Census poverty threshold (U.S. Census Bureau poverty report, latest year shown in the series)

Statistic 18

In 2022, 6.6% of U.S. households were food insecure without enough consistent access (USDA ERS breakdown in key statistics graphics)

Statistic 19

In 2022, 19.3% of the world’s population lived on less than $3.65 a day (World Bank poverty estimates at $3.65/day)

Statistic 20

In 2022, the U.K. Gini index for disposable income was 0.34 after taxes and transfers (OECD income distribution dataset / OECD inequality and poverty dashboard)

Statistic 21

The median gender pay gap in the European Union was 5.3% in 2023 (Eurostat gender pay gap, latest available)

Statistic 22

In 2022, the gender unemployment rate gap between men and women in the EU was 1.0 percentage point (Eurostat labour market indicators, latest available)

Statistic 23

In 2024, 46.8% of Black workers in the U.S. were in lower-wage jobs (EPI / analysis using occupational and wage data published in EPI’s wage inequality brief)

Statistic 24

In 2023, the U.S. CEO pay ratio median was 260:1 (Economic Policy Institute summary of pay ratio data trends reported for the US)

Statistic 25

In 2023, real wages in the U.S. for production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 1.0% year-over-year while CPI rose 4.1% (BLS real earnings and CPI series comparison)

Statistic 26

Net inequality (Gini after taxes and transfers minus Gini before taxes and transfers) reduces income inequality by 21% in the EU on average (OECD measure of redistributive impact from “Gini before/after taxes”).

Statistic 27

23.6% of total wealth is held by the top 1% in Canada in 2022 (World Inequality Database country profile for Canada, top 1% wealth share series).

Statistic 28

10% of households own 58.7% of total net wealth in South Africa (latest distribution from OECD Global Distribution of Household Wealth dataset; “top 10% share”).

Statistic 29

The Gini coefficient for net wealth is 0.80 in the United States (latest OECD Global Distribution of Household Wealth estimate used in OECD inequality dashboard).

Statistic 30

9.0% of the population in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2023 (Eurostat Europe 2020 poverty indicator).

Statistic 31

22.5% of the population in the EU were at risk of poverty after social transfers in 2023 (Eurostat table on at-risk-of-poverty rate).

Statistic 32

29.9% of working-age adults in the EU were living in households with very low work intensity in 2023 (Eurostat low work intensity indicator).

Statistic 33

14.1% of the population in the EU reported unmet medical needs in 2023 due to cost or distance (Eurostat indicator “Unmet need for medical examination”).

Statistic 34

13.7% of U.S. workers were in unions in 2023 (BLS union membership annual averages; union membership rate).

Statistic 35

1.09x ratio of the average hourly earnings of women to men in the United States in 2023 (BLS “Women’s earnings as a percent of men’s”).

Statistic 36

3.2% of U.S. adults were living in poverty in 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau official poverty rate).

Sources
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Marie Larsen

Written by Marie Larsen·Edited by Timothy Grant·Fact-checked by Claire Beaumont

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 13, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

In 2023, the median US CEO pay ratio reached 260 to 1 while real wages for production and nonsupervisory workers rose just 1.0% against a 4.1% CPI increase. Across the OECD, redistributive policies still only reduce inequality by an average 21% measured through the Gini before and after taxes and transfers. The gap looks even starker when you line up wealth and income concentration, from a 0.40 Gini for income in South Africa to a 0.80 net wealth Gini in the United States.

Key Takeaways

  • 0.40 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for South Africa (latest year shown in the dataset)
  • 0.34 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Brazil (latest year shown in the dataset)
  • 0.35 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Mexico (latest year shown in the dataset)
  • In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in France was 20% (World Inequality Database country profile for France shows top 1% wealth share)
  • In 2023, the share of U.S. households with no retirement savings was 28% (Federal Reserve Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) data release summary)
  • In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in India was 29% (World Inequality Database country profile for India shows top 1% wealth share)
  • In 2022, 51% of global poverty ($2.15/day) was concentrated in five countries (World Bank poverty estimates summary by country concentration for latest poverty year)
  • In 2020, 11.4% of the U.S. population were below the Census poverty threshold (U.S. Census Bureau poverty report, latest year shown in the series)
  • In 2022, 6.6% of U.S. households were food insecure without enough consistent access (USDA ERS breakdown in key statistics graphics)
  • In 2022, the U.K. Gini index for disposable income was 0.34 after taxes and transfers (OECD income distribution dataset / OECD inequality and poverty dashboard)
  • The median gender pay gap in the European Union was 5.3% in 2023 (Eurostat gender pay gap, latest available)
  • In 2022, the gender unemployment rate gap between men and women in the EU was 1.0 percentage point (Eurostat labour market indicators, latest available)
  • In 2024, 46.8% of Black workers in the U.S. were in lower-wage jobs (EPI / analysis using occupational and wage data published in EPI’s wage inequality brief)
  • Net inequality (Gini after taxes and transfers minus Gini before taxes and transfers) reduces income inequality by 21% in the EU on average (OECD measure of redistributive impact from “Gini before/after taxes”).
  • 23.6% of total wealth is held by the top 1% in Canada in 2022 (World Inequality Database country profile for Canada, top 1% wealth share series).

Inequality remains high worldwide, with the EU’s redistribution cutting Gini by 21% and the US still facing deep gaps.

Related reading

Income Inequality

10.40 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for South Africa (latest year shown in the dataset)[1]
Single source
20.34 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Brazil (latest year shown in the dataset)[2]
Verified
30.35 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Mexico (latest year shown in the dataset)[3]
Directional
40.50 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Namibia (latest year shown in the dataset)[4]
Directional
50.29 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for Denmark (latest year shown in the dataset)[5]
Verified
60.43 Gini coefficient for the Gini index of income inequality (World Bank estimate) for the United States (latest year shown in the dataset)[6]
Verified
7The top 1% received 20% of pre-tax national income in the United Kingdom (World Inequality Database / inequality share figures as shown by WID for UK)[7]
Verified
8The bottom 50% received 13% of pre-tax national income in the United States (World Inequality Database / WID country profile for US shows the bottom 50% share)[8]
Single source
95.2x gap between the top 10% and bottom 10% incomes in Germany (ratio of equivalised disposable income, latest OECD year in dashboard).[9]
Directional

Income Inequality Interpretation

Income inequality varies widely across countries, with very high levels in Namibia at a 0.50 Gini coefficient and the UK’s top 1% taking 20% of pre-tax income, while Denmark sits much lower at 0.29, showing that income concentration can be dramatically different even within the same overall income inequality category.

Wealth Inequality

1In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in France was 20% (World Inequality Database country profile for France shows top 1% wealth share)[10]
Directional
2In 2023, the share of U.S. households with no retirement savings was 28% (Federal Reserve Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking (SHED) data release summary)[11]
Verified
3In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in India was 29% (World Inequality Database country profile for India shows top 1% wealth share)[12]
Verified
4In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in China was 26% (World Inequality Database country profile for China shows top 1% wealth share)[13]
Single source
5In 2022, the top 1% wealth share in South Africa was 13% (World Inequality Database country profile for South Africa shows top 1% wealth share)[14]
Verified
6In 2022, the richest 10% in the EU owned 60% of total wealth (ECB Household Finance and Consumption Survey (HFCS) inequality distribution results summary)[15]
Single source

Wealth Inequality Interpretation

Wealth inequality remains highly concentrated across countries, with the top 1% holding 20% to 29% of national wealth in France, India, and China in 2022, and the poorest retirement security in the US reflected by 28% of households having no retirement savings in 2023.

More related reading

Poverty & Deprivation

1In 2022, 51% of global poverty ($2.15/day) was concentrated in five countries (World Bank poverty estimates summary by country concentration for latest poverty year)[16]
Verified
2In 2020, 11.4% of the U.S. population were below the Census poverty threshold (U.S. Census Bureau poverty report, latest year shown in the series)[17]
Verified
3In 2022, 6.6% of U.S. households were food insecure without enough consistent access (USDA ERS breakdown in key statistics graphics)[18]
Verified
4In 2022, 19.3% of the world’s population lived on less than $3.65 a day (World Bank poverty estimates at $3.65/day)[19]
Directional

Poverty & Deprivation Interpretation

For the Poverty and Deprivation category, the data shows that deprivation remains widespread and highly concentrated, with 19.3% of the world living under $3.65 a day while 51% of those in extreme poverty are concentrated in just five countries.

Policy & Institutions

1In 2022, the U.K. Gini index for disposable income was 0.34 after taxes and transfers (OECD income distribution dataset / OECD inequality and poverty dashboard)[20]
Verified

Policy & Institutions Interpretation

In 2022, the UK’s Gini index for disposable income was 0.34 after taxes and transfers, suggesting that Policy and Institutions via redistribution substantially shape inequality levels even though income inequality remains far from zero.

More related reading

Labor & Segregation

1The median gender pay gap in the European Union was 5.3% in 2023 (Eurostat gender pay gap, latest available)[21]
Single source
2In 2022, the gender unemployment rate gap between men and women in the EU was 1.0 percentage point (Eurostat labour market indicators, latest available)[22]
Verified
3In 2024, 46.8% of Black workers in the U.S. were in lower-wage jobs (EPI / analysis using occupational and wage data published in EPI’s wage inequality brief)[23]
Single source
4In 2023, the U.S. CEO pay ratio median was 260:1 (Economic Policy Institute summary of pay ratio data trends reported for the US)[24]
Verified
5In 2023, real wages in the U.S. for production and nonsupervisory employees increased by 1.0% year-over-year while CPI rose 4.1% (BLS real earnings and CPI series comparison)[25]
Verified

Labor & Segregation Interpretation

Labor and segregation remain tightly linked as the EU’s gender pay gap still stands at 5.3% in 2023 and women’s unemployment rates differ from men’s by 1.0 percentage point in 2022, while in the US 46.8% of Black workers are concentrated in lower-wage jobs and even top pay remains extremely skewed with a 260 to 1 CEO pay ratio in 2023.

Tax & Transfers

1Net inequality (Gini after taxes and transfers minus Gini before taxes and transfers) reduces income inequality by 21% in the EU on average (OECD measure of redistributive impact from “Gini before/after taxes”).[26]
Verified

Tax & Transfers Interpretation

On average across the EU, tax and transfers cut net income inequality by 21%, showing that redistribution mechanisms substantially narrow the gap between Gini before and after they take effect.

More related reading

Wealth & Shares

123.6% of total wealth is held by the top 1% in Canada in 2022 (World Inequality Database country profile for Canada, top 1% wealth share series).[27]
Verified
210% of households own 58.7% of total net wealth in South Africa (latest distribution from OECD Global Distribution of Household Wealth dataset; “top 10% share”).[28]
Verified
3The Gini coefficient for net wealth is 0.80 in the United States (latest OECD Global Distribution of Household Wealth estimate used in OECD inequality dashboard).[29]
Verified

Wealth & Shares Interpretation

In the Wealth and Shares picture, wealth is highly concentrated as Canada’s top 1% holds 23.6% of total wealth in 2022, South Africa’s top 10% owns 58.7% of net wealth, and the US net wealth Gini is a striking 0.80, signaling inequality driven by who owns the most assets.

Poverty & Living Standards

19.0% of the population in the EU were at risk of poverty or social exclusion in 2023 (Eurostat Europe 2020 poverty indicator).[30]
Verified
222.5% of the population in the EU were at risk of poverty after social transfers in 2023 (Eurostat table on at-risk-of-poverty rate).[31]
Verified
329.9% of working-age adults in the EU were living in households with very low work intensity in 2023 (Eurostat low work intensity indicator).[32]
Verified
414.1% of the population in the EU reported unmet medical needs in 2023 due to cost or distance (Eurostat indicator “Unmet need for medical examination”).[33]
Directional

Poverty & Living Standards Interpretation

In the EU, poverty and living standards pressures are clearly persistent as 22.5% of people were at risk of poverty after social transfers in 2023 and an even larger 29.9% of working-age adults lived in households with very low work intensity.

More related reading

Labor Market Inequality

113.7% of U.S. workers were in unions in 2023 (BLS union membership annual averages; union membership rate).[34]
Verified
21.09x ratio of the average hourly earnings of women to men in the United States in 2023 (BLS “Women’s earnings as a percent of men’s”).[35]
Single source
33.2% of U.S. adults were living in poverty in 2023 (U.S. Census Bureau official poverty rate).[36]
Verified

Labor Market Inequality Interpretation

In 2023, labor market inequality in the United States was still evident as only 13.7% of workers were unionized and women earned just 1.09 times what men earned on average, while 3.2% of adults lived in poverty.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

Cite This Report

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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). Inequality Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/inequality-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "Inequality Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/inequality-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "Inequality Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/inequality-statistics.

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