The gap between the rich and poor in big cities in the United States is widening, according to a new report. Atlanta is the most unequal city with the wealthy taking home nearly 20 times more than low-income households, data from the Brookings Institution revealed. The analysis compared 2013 census data for the top five per cent of earners with the bottom 20 per cent to work out the difference in wages. Scroll down for video . The gap between the rich and poor in big cities in the United States is still widening. The map above shows the most equal and unequal cities, according to a new report by the Brookings Institution . Nationwide the rich took home around 9.3 times more money - approximately $200,234 in comparison to $21,433. But in big cities it was up to 11.6 times more with top earners pocketing $221,700 and lower income households only taking home $19,143. The data showed the average wage for top earners in Atlanta was $288,159 - nearly $274,000 more than the bottom fifth's earnings. The income gap was also large in San Francisco, Boston and Miami, with San Francisco boasting the highest earnings for the wealthy at $423,171. Rich households in Washington were the only others to top $300,000. The nation's most equal city is Virginia Beach, where the rich only take home around six times more. Colorado Springs, Mesa and Oklahoma City are also fairly equal. In total 31 of the 50 largest cities had lower incomes in 2013 than they did in 2007 before the recession. President Obama called on Congress to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been at $7.25 since July 2009, to $10.10 in his State of the Union address last year. He is pictured (above) at the Cleveland Convention Center and Global Center for Health Innovation yesterday . But only one city - Albuquerque, New Mexico - saw incomes for the wealthy decline between 2012 and 2013. The report was released amid discussions about minimum wage increases. President Obama called on Congress to raise the federal minimum wage, which has been at $7.25 since July 2009, to $10.10 in his State of the Union address last year. Many states - such as Washington, Massachusetts and Florida - have already put increases in place with more promised in the next two years. But the report concluded: 'These findings confirm that income inequality remains a salient issue in many big cities today. 'While the minimum wage is a potentially important means for helping low-earner households living in high-cost places, local policy-makers should not ignore other tools they have at hand - from education to economic development to housing and zoning policies - that are essential for improving social mobility and sustaining income diversity in big cities today.'
Analysis by the Brookings Institution shows Atlanta is most unequal city . It compared top five per cent of earners with bottom 20 per cent . 31 cities had lower incomes in 2013 than they did in 2007 before recession .