Income and Wealth Inequality:
Race, Hispanic Ethnicity and Gender
Libraries Forum
Income Inequality Interdisciplinary Research
October 28, 2015
Ruth E. Zambrana, PHD
Professor, Department of Women’s Studies
Director, Consortium on Race, Gender and Ethnicity
The Wage Gap: Median Annual Earnings, 2012
Men
$49,398
Women
$37,791
Asian Women
$45,586
White Women
$40,912
Black Women
Latinas
$33,855
$28,424
Source: The State of Working America, 12th Edition 2012: Key Numbers from the Economic Policy Institute.
The Racial/Ethnic Wealth Gap
U.S. Median Family Wealth, 1989 and 2013
1989
$130,102
2013
$134,008
$91,440
$64,165
$13,900
White Families
Asian Families
$11,184
$9,229
$7,736
Latino Families
Black Families
The Racial/Ethnic Wealth Gap, Median family wealth, 1989 and 2013 (Boshara, Emmons, and Noeth 2015)
Percent of Families with No Wealth, or with Debts
Exceeding Their Assets
35.8%
33.9%
18.6%
White Families
Black Families
Latino Families
Source: The State of Working America, 12th Edition 2012: Key Numbers from the Economic Policy Institute.
Impact of Great Recession on Family Wealth
Percent Decrease in Median Family Wealth, 2007 to
2010
Latino Families
-86.30%
Black Families
-49.70%
-35.80%
White Families
Source: The State of Working America, 12th Edition 2012: Key Numbers from the Economic Policy Institute.
Home Ownership Rates, 2011
100.0%
90.0%
80.0%
73.8%
70.0%
60.0%
50.0%
44.9%
46.9%
40.0%
30.0%
20.0%
10.0%
0.0%
White Families
Black Families
Latino Families
Source: The State of Working America, 12th Edition 2012: Key Numbers from the Economic Policy Institute.
Latino Entrepreneurs, 1990-2015
4,500,000
4,070,000
4,000,000
3,500,000
3,000,000
2,500,000
2,000,000
2,000,000
1,500,000
1,000,000
500,000
557,000
0
1990
2012
2015
Source: The State of Working America, 12th Edition 2012: Key Numbers from the Economic Policy Institute.