Ask Gini: How to Measure Inequality

Monday, November 12, 2012 - 09:00 in Mathematics & Economics

Frank Cowell, an economist at the London School of Economics and Political Science, says the Gini coefficient is like the Kardashians: "It's famous for being famous." He's speaking about one of the most commonly discussed measures of income and wealth inequality. The Gini coefficient has been in the news a lot since the U.S. Census Bureau released its most recent data on income inequality in September. The data show that income inequality in the U.S. is high, but many articles blunder when they try to compare the U.S. to other countries. [More]

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