Tuscaloosa County, Alabama Income Statistics
Tuscaloosa 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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D
Tuscaloosa County Well below averageWealthier than 79% of counties in Alabama
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $65,681 | $64,544 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $53,114 | $52,756 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 4.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.3% | 9.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.2% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Tuscaloosa County is about 2% higher than in Alabama. Income has been growing slower in Tuscaloosa County (4.0%/yr) than in Alabama (4.7%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Tuscaloosa County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the Alabama average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama grew by 65.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $65,681 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Tuscaloosa County
| Metric | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.569 | 0.560 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,316 | $62,840 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,607 | $47,036 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.0% | 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 Tuscaloosa County, it is 0.569, 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 28% more than women's income in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama. Over a 35-year career, a 28% wage gap accumulates to roughly $479,815 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has narrowed from about 27% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,096 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Tuscaloosa County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.4% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 7,023 people are unemployed in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.
The average commute time in Tuscaloosa County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Alabama.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has fallen from 7.3% to 5.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.2% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.3% in 2021.
Tuscaloosa County, AL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Tuscaloosa County, AL is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 237,556 residents against a local median of 18,721. The measure that sets Tuscaloosa County, AL apart most is median household income: $65,681, 32% above the local median of $49,680. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread $16,641 on median household income, so Tuscaloosa County, AL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Tuscaloosa County, AL has the highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County, AL | 237,556 | $65,681 #1/6 | 4.0%/yr #3/6 | 5.8% #3/6 | 0.569 #5/6 |
| Fayette County, AL | 16,053 | $49,680 | 4.0%/yr | 8.4% | 0.562 |
| Bibb County, AL | 22,130 | $52,304 | 3.6%/yr | 12.1% | 0.569 |
| Hale County, AL | 14,829 | $39,591 | 2.6%/yr | 6.0% | 0.564 |
| Walker County, AL | 64,822 | $56,232 | 5.3%/yr | 4.9% | 0.552 |
| Pickens County, AL | 18,721 | $46,801 | 5.1%/yr | 4.7% | 0.579 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Alabama, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama.
How Rich Is Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?
Tuscaloosa County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $65,681, about 2% higher than the Alabama average of $64,544.
Are incomes growing in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama rose 66%, from $39,641 to $65,681. Over the same years, income here outpaced Alabama as a whole: +66% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Tuscaloosa County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama was $63,805, up 3% from $61,709 in 2022. The Alabama median that year was $62,326.
What was the median household income in Tuscaloosa County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama was $54,780. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $65,681.
What is the Gini coefficient in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?
The Gini coefficient in Tuscaloosa County is 0.569. 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 Tuscaloosa County, Alabama?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Tuscaloosa County, Alabama has narrowed from about 27% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,096 since 2009.
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