Carson, California Income Statistics
Carson Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
-
C
Carson Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $109,874 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $59,092 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.7% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 18.4% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Carson is about 11% higher than in California. Income has been growing slower in Carson (5.2%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Carson earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the California average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Carson, California grew by 61.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $109,874 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Carson
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.570 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,710 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $62,442 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 5.0% | 12.1% | 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 Carson, it is 0.570, about the same as California's 0.572, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 5% more than women's income in Carson, California. Over a 35-year career, a 5% wage gap accumulates to roughly $114,380 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carson, California has narrowed from about 7% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 9% in 2012, and in 2017 women out-earned men by 0%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $479 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Carson | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,609 people are unemployed in Carson, California.
The average commute time in Carson is 23 minutes, about the same as in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Carson, California has fallen from 11.8% to 7.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.8% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.9% in 2019.
Carson, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Cities
Carson, CA is the 2nd largest of the 6 cities compared here, 92,071 residents against a local median of 22,667. The measure that sets Carson, CA apart most is median household income: $109,874, 28% above the local median of $85,893. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 7.7% against a local median of 6.1%, 25% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Carson, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The cities themselves spread $17,934 on median household income, so Carson, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Carson, CA 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carson, CA | 92,071 | $109,874 #1/6 | 5.2%/yr #5/6 | 7.7% #4/6 | 0.570 #4/6 |
| West Carson, CA | 22,143 | $93,934 | 4.4%/yr | 5.4% | 0.538 |
| Compton, CA | 94,573 | $77,977 | 7.0%/yr | 7.7% | 0.575 |
| West Rancho Dominguez, CA | 22,667 | $85,219 | 6.7%/yr | 12.3% | 0.577 |
| Lomita, CA | 20,223 | $95,911 | 5.5%/yr | 4.6% | 0.566 |
| Gardena, CA | 59,400 | $85,893 | 7.0%/yr | 6.1% | 0.547 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Carson, California has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with California, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Carson, California.
How Rich Is Carson, California?
Carson has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $109,874, about 11% higher than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Carson, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Carson, California rose 62%, from $67,882 to $109,874. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +62% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Carson in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Carson, California was $106,454, up 4% from $102,729 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Carson in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Carson, California was $87,888. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $109,874.
What is the Gini coefficient in Carson, California?
The Gini coefficient in Carson is 0.570. 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 Carson, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carson, California has narrowed from about 7% to 5% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 9% in 2012, and in 2017 women out-earned men by 0%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $479 since 2009.
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