Lassen County, California Income Statistics
Lassen 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
Lassen County Well below averageLeast wealthy county in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lassen County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,791 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,390 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.5% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.3% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.3% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lassen County is about 32% lower than in California. Income has been growing slower in Lassen County (3.5%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Lassen County 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 Lassen County, California grew by 38.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,791 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lassen County
| Metric | Lassen County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.657 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,962 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $57,244 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 9.1% | 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 Lassen County, it is 0.657, higher than California's 0.572, 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 10% more than women's income in Lassen County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 10% wage gap accumulates to roughly $200,130 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lassen County, California has narrowed from about 28% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 44% in 2011, and was narrowest at 9% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $8,093 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lassen County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.3% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.0% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 872 people are unemployed in Lassen County, California.
The average commute time in Lassen County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lassen County, California has fallen from 9.9% to 8.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.6% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.1% in 2018.
Lassen County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lassen County, CA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 30,356 residents against a local median of 19,423. The measure that sets Lassen County, CA apart most is income growth: 3.5%/yr, 28% below the local median of 4.9%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income inequality tells the same story from another angle: 0.657 against a local median of 0.543, 21% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Lassen County, CA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.2%/yr on income growth, so Lassen County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lassen County, CA has the 6th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lassen County, CA | 30,356 | $67,791 #3/6 | 3.5%/yr #6/6 | 8.3% #4/6 | 0.657 #6/6 |
| Plumas County, CA | 19,423 | $67,287 | 3.9%/yr | 9.1% | 0.525 |
| Modoc County, CA | 8,600 | $59,671 | 4.9%/yr | 7.6% | 0.568 |
| Washoe County, NV | 497,175 | $88,504 | 6.1%/yr | 5.1% | 0.526 |
| Sierra County, CA | 2,746 | $60,956 | 4.1%/yr | 12.6% | 0.543 |
| Nevada County, CA | 102,481 | $90,457 | 5.8%/yr | 5.4% | 0.543 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lassen County, California has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than California, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lassen County, California.
How Rich Is Lassen County, California?
Lassen 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 $67,791, about 32% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Lassen County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lassen County, California rose 39%, from $48,791 to $67,791. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +39% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Lassen County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lassen County, California was $65,145, up 10% from $59,347 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Lassen County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lassen County, California was $57,140. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $67,791.
Is unemployment high in Lassen County, California?
Unemployment in Lassen County, California is 8.3%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lassen County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Lassen County is 0.657. 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 Lassen County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lassen County, California has narrowed from about 28% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 44% in 2011, and was narrowest at 9% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $8,093 since 2009.
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