Rich and poor in Washington, D.C.

Anyone who tours the United States will quickly see rich areas are noticeably different from poor areas.

Which of the following comparisons is most similar to the income differences in Washington, D.C.?

A. The difference between the richest and poorest U.S. states.

B. The difference between the richest and poorest countries in Western Europe.

C. The difference between the richest and poorest countries of the former Soviet Union.

Which of the following comparisons is most similar to income differences in Washington, D.C.?

A. The difference between the richest and poorest U.S. states is not correct. Average income in the richest state in the United States, Connecticut, at $61,800, is nearly double the average income in the poorest state, Mississippi, $32,900. This is much smaller than the income inequality within Washington, D.C.

B. The difference between the richest and poorest countries in Western Europe is correct. The richest country in Western Europe, Luxembourg, at $70,300, has almost four times as much income per capita as the poorest, Portugal, at $17,900. This is most comparable to the nearly fivefold difference between the richest and poorest wards in Washington, D.C. Among the district's eight political wards, the most affluent, Ward 3, has an average income of $142,600, while the poorest, Ward 8, averages $30,100.

C. The difference between the richest and poorest countries of the former Soviet Union is not correct. The income inequality of the former Soviet Union is far greater than the inequality within Washington, D.C. In 2006, the average income in Estonia, $11,600, was almost 30 times that of Tajikistan, $400.

Eastern Europe, too — with incomes ranging from Slovenia's $19,200 to Albania's $2,900 — has more inequality than the U.S. capital.