New York City's economic inequality is one of the central issues in the United States. According to data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), income inequality in the U.S. is the highest of all the G7 nations. The black-to-white income gap has held steady since 1970 and has persisted over time. A recent analysis by the Pew Research Center showed that the wealth gap between America's most affluent and poorest families more than doubled from 1989 to 2016.

Income disparity is a national issue, but it is an issue of great concern in New York City, which has the highest income disparity in the country. The top 1 percent in New York City out-earned the bottom 99 percent by 42 to 1. The top earners make $2.2 million annually versus the bottom 99 percent, who make $50,107 in New York City. In specific areas within New York City, like Manhattan, the top 1% — about 38,700 taxpayers — earned almost as much as the bottom 90% of New Yorkers. The top 5% earned more than the bottom 95%.

Income disparity affects access to social goods, quality of life, and buying power, not to mention the development of a social caste system. In New York, where many people are confined to small geographic areas, the effects of income disparity are compounded. 

The question for debate is, should the government intervene more to reduce income disparity in New York City?