If you believe the game of life in America is played on a level playing field please read on.  AGB

The apartheid of wealth

Percent by which the net worth of white U.S. households fell from 2005 to 2009: 16

Of black households: 53

Of Hispanic households: 66

Number of times by which the median wealth of white households now surpasses that of Hispanic households: 18

Of black households: 20

Amount of wealth held by the typical white household in 2009: $113,149

The typical Hispanic household: $6,325

The typical black household: $5,677

Percent of white, Hispanic and black households respectively that had zero or negative net worth in 2005: 11, 23, 29

In 2009: 15, 31, 35

Rank of plummeting home values among the principal causes of the recent erosion in household wealth among all three groups: 1

Percent by which the median level of home equity held by white homeowners fell between 2005 and 2009: 17.6

By Hispanic homeowners: 50.8

By black homeowners: 23.3

Median level of home equity held by white, Hispanic and black homeowners respectively in 2009: $95,000, $49,145, $59,000

Percent of white households that had no assets other than a vehicle in 2009: 6

Of black and Hispanic households: 24

(All figures from “Wealth Gaps Rise to Record Highs Between Whites, Blacks, Hispanics,” by Rakesh Kochhar, Richard Fry and Paul Taylor, Pew Research Center, July 26, 2011. To comment on this index, click here.)