World Bank Data · 106 countries
Countries With Highest Income Inequality
The Gini Index measures income inequality on a scale of 0 (perfect equality) to 100 (perfect inequality). South Africa consistently has the highest Gini score in the world, a legacy of apartheid that concentrated wealth and land ownership among a small minority. Latin American and sub-Saharan African countries dominate the most unequal end of the spectrum, reflecting colonial legacies, land concentration, weak institutions, and limited social safety nets. High inequality is associated with lower economic growth, worse health outcomes, higher crime rates, and political instability. The most equal countries, in Scandinavia and Central Europe, achieve lower inequality through progressive taxation, universal healthcare, free education, and strong labor protections. The relationship between economic growth and inequality is hotly debated: some argue inequality is a necessary byproduct of dynamism, while others see it as a barrier to shared prosperity.
Key Findings
- 1Colombia leads with a Gini Index of 54.6, followed by South Africa (54.1) and Brazil (51.5).
- 2Slovak Republic ranks last at 23.8, while Colombia leads at 54.6.
- 3The national median across all states is 33.8 (Switzerland at the midpoint).
- 4The top 10 states are: Colombia, South Africa, Brazil, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Panama, Honduras, Costa Rica, Guatemala.
Full Ranking: Countries With Highest Income Inequality
Source: Census ACS 5-Year Estimates
| # | Country | Gini Index | GDP/Capita | Population |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zimbabwe | 50.3 | $2,195 | 16,340,822 |
| 2 | Zambia | 51.5 | $1,331 | 20,723,965 |
| 3 | Viet Nam | 36.1 | $4,323 | 100,352,192 |
| 4 | Vanuatu | 32.3 | $3,483 | 320,409 |
| 5 | Uzbekistan | 34.5 | $2,879 | 35,652,307 |
| 6 | Uruguay | 40.9 | $23,019 | 3,388,081 |
| 7 | United States | 41.8 | $81,032 | 336,806,231 |
| 8 | United Kingdom | 32.7 | $49,944 | 68,492,000 |
| 9 | Ukraine | 25.6 | $5,140 | 37,732,836 |
| 10 | Uganda | 42.7 | $1,002 | 48,656,601 |
| 11 | Turkiye | 43.7 | $13,375 | 85,325,965 |
| 12 | Thailand | 33.5 | $7,195 | 71,702,435 |
| 13 | Tajikistan | 38 | $1,178 | 10,389,799 |
| 14 | Taiwan | 33.2 | $34,430 | 23,400,000 |
| 15 | Syrian Arab Republic | 26.4 | - | 23,594,623 |
| 16 | Switzerland | 33.8 | $100,624 | 8,888,822 |
| 17 | Sweden | 29.3 | $54,950 | 10,536,632 |
| 18 | Suriname | 39.2 | $5,522 | 628,886 |
| 19 | Sri Lanka | 37.7 | $3,799 | 22,037,000 |
| 20 | Spain | 33.4 | $33,493 | 48,352,528 |
| 21 | South Africa | 54.1 | $6,034 | 63,212,384 |
| 22 | Slovenia | 24.7 | $32,660 | 2,120,461 |
| 23 | Slovak Republic | 23.8 | $24,615 | 5,426,740 |
| 24 | Serbia | 32.8 | $12,282 | 6,623,183 |
| 25 | Rwanda | 39.4 | $1,027 | 13,954,471 |
| 26 | Russian Federation | 33 | $14,159 | 143,826,130 |
| 27 | Romania | 29.8 | $18,244 | 19,061,062 |
| 28 | Portugal | 33.9 | $27,635 | 10,578,174 |
| 29 | Poland | 28.5 | $22,145 | 36,687,353 |
| 30 | Philippines | 39.3 | $3,804 | 114,891,199 |
| 31 | Peru | 40.7 | $7,888 | 33,845,617 |
| 32 | Paraguay | 44.2 | $6,300 | 6,844,146 |
| 33 | Panama | 48.9 | $18,797 | 4,458,759 |
| 34 | Norway | 26.5 | $87,497 | 5,519,601 |
| 35 | North Macedonia | 33.5 | $8,674 | 1,827,816 |
| 36 | Nigeria | 33.9 | $2,139 | 227,882,945 |
| 37 | Netherlands | 26 | $63,516 | 17,877,117 |
| 38 | Nepal | 30 | $1,382 | 29,694,614 |
| 39 | Mozambique | 49.6 | $622.00 | 33,635,160 |
| 40 | Montenegro | 35.4 | $12,260 | 623,529 |
| 41 | Mongolia | 31.4 | $5,839 | 3,481,145 |
| 42 | Moldova | 26.8 | $6,800 | 2,457,783 |
| 43 | Mexico | 43.5 | $13,861 | 129,739,759 |
| 44 | Mauritania | 32 | $2,136 | 5,022,441 |
| 45 | Marshall Islands | 35.5 | $6,793 | 38,827 |
| 46 | Malta | 31.8 | $40,906 | 552,747 |
| 47 | Maldives | 29.3 | $12,588 | 525,994 |
| 48 | Malawi | 38.5 | $633.21 | 21,104,482 |
| 49 | Luxembourg | 33.6 | $133,231 | 666,430 |
| 50 | Lithuania | 36 | $27,786 | 2,871,585 |
| 51 | Lebanon | 35.5 | $3,478 | 5,773,493 |
| 52 | Latvia | 34 | $22,710 | 1,883,710 |
| 53 | Kyrgyz Republic | 27.2 | $2,138 | 7,099,750 |
| 54 | Kosovo | 38.3 | $6,221 | 1,682,668 |
| 55 | Korea, Rep. | 32.7 | $35,674 | 51,712,619 |
| 56 | Kiribati | 24.7 | $2,178 | 132,530 |
| 57 | Kenya | 38.5 | $1,943 | 55,339,003 |
| 58 | Kazakhstan | 28.7 | $12,879 | 20,330,104 |
| 59 | Japan | 32.3 | $33,836 | 124,516,650 |
| 60 | Italy | 34.3 | $39,277 | 58,984,216 |
| 61 | Ireland | 29 | $106,819 | 5,311,538 |
| 62 | Iraq | 29.8 | $5,965 | 45,074,049 |
| 63 | Iran, Islamic Rep. | 35.9 | $5,049 | 90,608,707 |
| 64 | Indonesia | 36.1 | $4,876 | 281,190,067 |
| 65 | India | 25.5 | $2,530 | 1,438,069,596 |
| 66 | Iceland | 26.8 | $82,139 | 385,663 |
| 67 | Honduras | 46.8 | $3,227 | 10,644,851 |
| 68 | Guatemala | 45.2 | $5,758 | 18,124,838 |
| 69 | Greece | 33.4 | $23,344 | 10,407,351 |
| 70 | Germany | 33.7 | $54,777 | 83,287,273 |
| 71 | Georgia | 34.8 | $8,284 | 3,715,483 |
| 72 | Gambia, The | 38.8 | $883.02 | 2,697,845 |
| 73 | France | 31.8 | $44,700 | 68,372,286 |
| 74 | Finland | 27.4 | $52,834 | 5,583,911 |
| 75 | Fiji | 30.7 | $5,926 | 924,145 |
| 76 | Estonia | 30.7 | $30,264 | 1,370,286 |
| 77 | Equatorial Guinea | 38.5 | $6,678 | 1,847,549 |
| 78 | El Salvador | 39.8 | $5,365 | 6,309,624 |
| 79 | Egypt, Arab Rep. | 31.9 | $3,457 | 114,535,772 |
| 80 | Ecuador | 44.6 | $6,738 | 17,980,083 |
| 81 | Dominican Republic | 38.4 | $10,630 | 11,331,265 |
| 82 | Denmark | 29.9 | $68,044 | 5,946,952 |
| 83 | Czechia | 25.7 | $31,762 | 10,864,042 |
| 84 | Cyprus | 31.8 | $36,624 | 1,344,976 |
| 85 | Croatia | 30.1 | $22,184 | 3,859,686 |
| 86 | Costa Rica | 46.7 | $16,942 | 5,105,525 |
| 87 | Congo, Dem. Rep. | 44.7 | $660.21 | 105,789,731 |
| 88 | Comoros | 34.2 | $1,560 | 850,387 |
| 89 | Colombia | 54.6 | $7,001 | 52,321,152 |
| 90 | China | 36 | $12,951 | 1,410,710,000 |
| 91 | Chile | 43.2 | $17,067 | 19,658,835 |
| 92 | Chad | 37.4 | $949.33 | 19,319,064 |
| 93 | Canada | 31.5 | $54,220 | 40,083,484 |
| 94 | Burundi | 37.5 | $250.63 | 13,689,450 |
| 95 | Bulgaria | 39.5 | $15,853 | 6,446,596 |
| 96 | Brazil | 51.5 | $10,378 | 211,140,729 |
| 97 | Bolivia | 42.1 | $4,275 | 12,244,159 |
| 98 | Bhutan | 28.5 | $3,831 | 786,385 |
| 99 | Belgium | 26.8 | $55,291 | 11,779,946 |
| 100 | Belarus | 24.4 | $7,897 | 9,178,298 |
| 101 | Bangladesh | 30.9 | $2,551 | 171,466,990 |
| 102 | Austria | 31.2 | $56,580 | 9,131,761 |
| 103 | Australia | 33.8 | $65,058 | 26,659,922 |
| 104 | Armenia | 27.2 | $8,159 | 2,964,300 |
| 105 | Argentina | 42.4 | $14,262 | 45,538,401 |
| 106 | Albania | 29.4 | $9,731 | 2,414,095 |
Methodology
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Colombia has the highest Gini Index at 54.6, according to latest Census ACS data. South Africa and Brazil round out the top three.
Slovak Republic has the lowest Gini Index at 23.8. Belarus is second-lowest at 24.4.
The median across all 106 states is 33.8. Note that the national median and the state-level median are calculated differently, the state median represents the midpoint when all states are ranked.
This data comes from the American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates published by the US Census Bureau. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides the most comprehensive demographic data available between decennial censuses.
Rankings are based on the latest available Census ACS 5-Year estimates. The Census Bureau releases new ACS data annually. Our data was last updated on April 12, 2026.
Rankings are based on American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates from the US Census Bureau. All 50 states and the District of Columbia are included. The ACS surveys approximately 3.5 million households annually and provides detailed demographic, social, economic, and housing data. 5-Year estimates offer the most reliable data for state-level comparisons by averaging responses over a 60-month period. Percentages may not sum to 100% due to rounding.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.