Madera County, California Income Statistics
Madera 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.
-
D
Madera County Well below averageLess wealthy than 89% of counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Madera County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $76,645 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,250 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.7% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.6% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.2% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Madera County is about 23% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Madera County (6.7%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Madera 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 Madera County, California grew by 66.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $76,645 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Madera County
| Metric | Madera County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.608 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,066 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,188 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.5% | 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 Madera County, it is 0.608, 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 14% more than women's income in Madera County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $240,730 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Madera County, California has narrowed from about 13% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2019, and was narrowest at 5% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,020 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Madera County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.1% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.7% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 6,992 people are unemployed in Madera County, California.
The average commute time in Madera County is 23 minutes, about the same as in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Madera County, California has fallen from 11.3% to 10.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.6% in 2012 and fell as low as 7.5% in 2015.
Madera County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Madera County, CA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 161,170 residents against a local median of 54,498. Madera County, CA's unemployment, at 10.1%, runs 23% above the 8.2% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 6.7%/yr against a local median of 5.4%/yr, 22% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Madera County, CA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 7.5% on unemployment, so Madera County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Madera County, CA has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Madera County, CA | 161,170 | $76,645 #3/6 | 6.7%/yr #1/6 | 10.1% #5/6 | 0.608 #6/6 |
| Mariposa County, CA | 17,082 | $69,143 | 4.5%/yr | 6.0% | 0.523 |
| Fresno County, CA | 1,016,723 | $74,148 | 6.2%/yr | 8.7% | 0.594 |
| Tuolumne County, CA | 54,498 | $77,597 | 5.4%/yr | 8.2% | 0.550 |
| Merced County, CA | 290,118 | $66,042 | 5.1%/yr | 10.5% | 0.597 |
| Mono County, CA | 13,148 | $98,683 | 6.7%/yr | 3.0% | 0.509 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Madera 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 Madera County, California.
How Rich Is Madera County, California?
Madera 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 $76,645, about 23% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How fast is household income rising in Madera County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Madera County, California rose 66%, from $46,044 to $76,645. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +66% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Madera County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Madera County, California was $75,620, up 3% from $73,454 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Madera County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Madera County, California was $61,687. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $76,645.
Is it hard to find a job in Madera County, California?
Unemployment in Madera County, California is 10.1%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Madera County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Madera County is 0.608. 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 Madera County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Madera County, California has narrowed from about 13% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 21% in 2019, and was narrowest at 5% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,020 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →