What Is the Gini Coefficient and How Does It Measure U.S. Income Inequality?

| Poverty & Inequality |

The Gini coefficient is a summary measure of income inequality that ranges from 0, perfect equality, to 1, perfect inequality. In the United States, the Census Bureau reported that income inequality increased in 2021 for the first time since 2011, driven by real income declines at the bottom. The Bureau of Economic Analysis now publishes state-level Gini coefficients, allowing geographic comparisons of income concentration.

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U.S. GDP Deflator vs. CPI: How Inflation Measures Differ and Why It Matters

| Data & Methodology |

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and the GDP deflator are both measures of inflation, but they track different baskets and scopes. The CPI measures prices paid by urban consumers for a fixed basket including imports, while the GDP deflator measures prices of all domestic production with a changing basket. Since the early 1970s, the CPI has risen almost 30% more than the GDP deflator, a gap that matters for cost-of-living adjustments and real GDP.

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States With the Fastest Real GDP Growth in 2025

| GDP & Output |

Florida and South Carolina tied for the fastest real GDP growth among U.S. states in 2025, each expanding 3.1 percent, while every state economy grew. The national economy grew 2.1 percent, but state performance ranged from 0.3 percent in North Dakota to 3.1 percent in the leaders. Sun Belt states generally outperformed the national average, while Plains and Great Lakes states lagged.

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