Sumter County, Alabama Income Statistics
Sumter County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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F
Sumter County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Alabama
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sumter County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $34,130 | $64,544 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $36,100 | $52,756 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.9% | 4.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.1% | 9.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.4% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sumter County is about 47% lower than in Alabama. Income has been growing faster in Sumter County (6.9%/yr) than in Alabama (4.7%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Sumter County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Alabama average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Sumter County, Alabama grew by 63.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $34,130 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sumter County
| Metric | Sumter County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.596 | 0.560 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,889 | $62,840 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $30,038 | $47,036 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 43.2% | 25.1% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Sumter County, it is 0.596, higher than Alabama's 0.560, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 76% more than women's income in Sumter County, Alabama. Over a 35-year career, a 76% wage gap accumulates to roughly $799,785 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sumter County, Alabama has widened from about 25% to 43% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 49% in 2022, and was narrowest at 6% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,930 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Sumter County widened by 17.8 points while Alabama's narrowed by 1.8 points.
Employment
| Metric | Sumter County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 12.0% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.3% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 536 people are unemployed in Sumter County, Alabama.
The average commute time in Sumter County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Alabama.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sumter County, Alabama has fallen from 18.4% to 12.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 19.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 7.0% in 2021.
Sumter County, AL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sumter County, AL is typical in size for this group, 11,878 residents against a local median of 12,380, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Sumter County, AL breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 139% above the local median of 5.0% at 12.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 6.9%/yr against a local median of 4.8%/yr, 44% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Sumter County, AL is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 6.8% on unemployment, so Sumter County, AL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Sumter County, AL has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumter County, AL | 11,878 | $34,130 #5/6 | 6.9%/yr #1/6 | 12.0% #6/6 | 0.596 #6/6 |
| Greene County, AL | 7,424 | $29,432 | 4.1%/yr | 4.0% | 0.546 |
| Kemper County, MS | 8,729 | $46,505 | 6.0%/yr | 10.8% | 0.554 |
| Lauderdale County, MS | 71,502 | $50,967 | 3.5%/yr | 5.6% | 0.564 |
| Marengo County, AL | 18,851 | $43,749 | 4.8%/yr | 4.1% | 0.567 |
| Choctaw County, AL | 12,380 | $49,212 | 5.3%/yr | 5.0% | 0.559 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sumter County, Alabama has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Alabama, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Sumter County, Alabama.
How Rich Is Sumter County, Alabama?
Sumter County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $34,130, about 47% lower than the Alabama average of $64,544.
Are incomes growing in Sumter County, Alabama?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sumter County, Alabama rose 64%, from $20,851 to $34,130. Over the same years, income here outpaced Alabama as a whole: +64% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Sumter County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sumter County, Alabama was $37,862, up 23% from $30,824 in 2022. The Alabama median that year was $62,326.
What was the median household income in Sumter County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sumter County, Alabama was $26,843. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $34,130.
How strong is the job market in Sumter County, Alabama?
Unemployment in Sumter County, Alabama is 12.0%, well above the Alabama rate of 4.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sumter County, Alabama?
The Gini coefficient in Sumter County is 0.596. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Sumter County, Alabama?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sumter County, Alabama has widened from about 25% to 43% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 49% in 2022, and was narrowest at 6% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $13,930 since 2009.
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