Does Connecticut have the most income inequality of any state?

Connecticut does not have the biggest income inequality in the nation, but it ranks among the highest.

The state consistently appears near the top of national rankings for income inequality, often in the top five. According to 2023 U.S. Census data, Connecticut’s Gini coefficient is 0.4989, placing it fourth in the country behind Puerto Rico (0.5338), the District of Columbia (0.5244), and New York (0.5186). The Gini coefficient measures income inequality on a scale from 0 to 1, where higher numbers reflect greater disparity.

The state’s sharp divide stems largely from Fairfield County’s concentration of wealth, contrasted with struggling urban centers like Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven. While Connecticut’s poverty rate is lower than many states, its top earners make more than 37 times what the bottom 99% earn. This gap fuels deep disparities in housing, education and opportunity, making inequality a defining issue across the state.