Racial inequality statistics from the Federal Reserve Board’s wealth inequality and racial wealth gap accessible data show large differences in average household net worth across racial and ethnic groups from 1989 through 2019. The same series also reports the overall wealth inequality Gini, which rose from 0.79 in 1989 to 0.85 in 2019.
Table of contents
- How to read these statistics
- The wealth gap in 1989
- Changes through the 1990s
- The early-2000s expansion
- The 2007 peak and 2010 setback
- Recovery from 2013 to 2019
- What the full period shows
How to read these statistics
The figures below are average household net worth values reported for the specified year and group. The supplied Federal Reserve series labels the groups White, non-Hispanic; Black, non-Hispanic; Hispanic/Latino; and Other, non-Hispanic. Because the figures are averages, they describe the mean net worth for each group rather than the experience of every household.
The Federal Reserve source reports the overall wealth inequality Gini separately. A higher Gini indicates greater inequality in the distribution measured by that series. The Gini values here are presented as reported; they are not converted into percentages or combined with the group averages.
The wealth gap in 1989
In 1989, average household net worth was 462.59 for White, non-Hispanic households. The corresponding average was 81.76 for Black, non-Hispanic households and 80.55 for Hispanic/Latino households. Other, non-Hispanic households had an average household net worth of 361.36. These four group figures establish a substantial difference at the beginning of the period covered.
The Federal Reserve’s overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.79 in 1989. This Gini describes the overall distribution in the source series, while the group averages show how mean net worth differed among the named categories. They answer related but distinct questions and should not be treated as interchangeable measures.
The 1989 figures can be summarized compactly:
| Group | Average household net worth in 1989 |
|---|---|
| White, non-Hispanic | 462.59 |
| Black, non-Hispanic | 81.76 |
| Hispanic/Latino | 80.55 |
| Other, non-Hispanic | 361.36 |
Changes through the 1990s
By 1992, average household net worth was 403.50 for White, non-Hispanic households, 88.88 for Black, non-Hispanic households, 99.18 for Hispanic/Latino households, and 370.62 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.78.
In 1995, the group averages were 423.74 for White, non-Hispanic households, 73.18 for Black, non-Hispanic households, 103.99 for Hispanic/Latino households, and 344.72 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall Gini was 0.79.
The 1998 figures were higher for every listed group than the 1995 figures: 532.16 for White, non-Hispanic households; 100.42 for Black, non-Hispanic households; 137.99 for Hispanic/Latino households; and 423.82 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.80.
Taken together, the 1990s observations show movement in the group averages rather than a steady year-by-year pattern. White, non-Hispanic average household net worth moved from 403.50 in 1992 to 423.74 in 1995 and then 532.16 in 1998. Black, non-Hispanic average household net worth moved from 88.88 to 73.18 and then 100.42 over those same observations. Hispanic/Latino average household net worth rose from 99.18 to 103.99 and then 137.99, while Other, non-Hispanic average household net worth moved from 370.62 to 344.72 and then 423.82.
The early-2000s expansion
In 2001, average household net worth reached 705.43 for White, non-Hispanic households. The average was 109.96 for Black, non-Hispanic households, 135.00 for Hispanic/Latino households, and 550.80 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.80.
The 2004 observations were 756.25 for White, non-Hispanic households, 149.29 for Black, non-Hispanic households, 170.85 for Hispanic/Latino households, and 505.39 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall Gini was 0.81.
By 2007, the averages reported by the Federal Reserve were 834.94 for White, non-Hispanic households; 165.83 for Black, non-Hispanic households; 230.57 for Hispanic/Latino households; and 709.85 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.82.
The 2001-to-2007 observations show that all four group averages were higher in 2007 than in 2001. The increase was not uniform across groups, however, and the group averages remained separated. The Gini also rose from 0.80 in 2001 to 0.82 in 2007, according to the same Federal Reserve series.
The 2007 peak and 2010 setback
The next reported observation, 2010, records lower average household net worth for every listed group than in 2007. White, non-Hispanic households averaged 743.28; Black, non-Hispanic households averaged 114.38; Hispanic/Latino households averaged 128.88; and Other, non-Hispanic households averaged 607.63. The overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.85.
The contrast between 2007 and 2010 is visible in each category:
- White, non-Hispanic households: 834.94 in 2007 and 743.28 in 2010.
- Black, non-Hispanic households: 165.83 in 2007 and 114.38 in 2010.
- Hispanic/Latino households: 230.57 in 2007 and 128.88 in 2010.
- Other, non-Hispanic households: 709.85 in 2007 and 607.63 in 2010.
The Gini moved in the opposite direction in the reported series, rising from 0.82 in 2007 to 0.85 in 2010. That comparison illustrates why group averages and the overall distribution measure should be read separately: the averages fell across all four listed categories while the reported overall Gini increased.
Recovery from 2013 to 2019
In 2013, average household net worth was 747.23 for White, non-Hispanic households, 104.26 for Black, non-Hispanic households, 122.96 for Hispanic/Latino households, and 638.24 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall wealth inequality Gini remained 0.85.
In 2016, the averages were 961.44 for White, non-Hispanic households, 149.05 for Black, non-Hispanic households, 194.02 for Hispanic/Latino households, and 752.42 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall Gini was 0.86, the highest value reported in the supplied series.
The 2019 observations were 952.91 for White, non-Hispanic households, 140.52 for Black, non-Hispanic households, 192.17 for Hispanic/Latino households, and 1,039.35 for Other, non-Hispanic households. The overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.85.
Between 2013 and 2016, all four group averages increased in the reported figures. Between 2016 and 2019, White, non-Hispanic average household net worth moved from 961.44 to 952.91, Black, non-Hispanic average household net worth moved from 149.05 to 140.52, and Hispanic/Latino average household net worth moved from 194.02 to 192.17. Other, non-Hispanic average household net worth moved from 752.42 to 1,039.35 over that interval.
The 2019 figures therefore do not show a single common direction for all groups. They show lower reported averages than 2016 for three categories and a higher reported average for Other, non-Hispanic households. The Gini also declined from 0.86 in 2016 to 0.85 in 2019.
What the full period shows
The Federal Reserve observations span eight listed racial and ethnic wealth snapshots: 1989, 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2016, and 2019. Across those observations, the overall wealth inequality Gini was 0.79 in 1989, 0.78 in 1992, 0.79 in 1995, 0.80 in 1998, 0.80 in 2001, 0.81 in 2004, 0.82 in 2007, 0.85 in 2010, 0.85 in 2013, 0.86 in 2016, and 0.85 in 2019.
The group averages likewise vary over time. White, non-Hispanic average household net worth was 462.59 in 1989 and 952.91 in 2019. Black, non-Hispanic average household net worth was 81.76 in 1989 and 140.52 in 2019. Hispanic/Latino average household net worth was 80.55 in 1989 and 192.17 in 2019. Other, non-Hispanic average household net worth was 361.36 in 1989 and 1,039.35 in 2019.
Those endpoints should be read alongside the intervening observations. For example, White, non-Hispanic average household net worth reached 961.44 in 2016 before the 2019 value of 952.91. Black, non-Hispanic average household net worth reached 165.83 in 2007 before the 2010 value of 114.38 and the 2019 value of 140.52. Hispanic/Latino average household net worth reached 230.57 in 2007 before the 2010 value of 128.88 and the 2019 value of 192.17. Other, non-Hispanic average household net worth reached 709.85 in 2007, was 607.63 in 2010, and was 1,039.35 in 2019.
The central pattern in these racial inequality statistics is persistent separation among the reported group averages alongside a high overall wealth inequality Gini throughout the period. The Federal Reserve figures provide a time-labeled record of those differences, with each observation tied to its stated year and group definition.