Mendocino County, California Income Statistics
Mendocino 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
Mendocino County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mendocino County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $68,620 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,017 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.0% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.3% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.4% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mendocino County is about 31% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Mendocino County (6.0%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Mendocino 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 Mendocino County, California grew by 60.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $68,620 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mendocino County
| Metric | Mendocino County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.552 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,753 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $60,655 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 3.3% | 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 Mendocino County, it is 0.552, lower than California's 0.572, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 3% more than women's income in Mendocino County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 3% wage gap accumulates to roughly $73,430 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mendocino County, California has narrowed from about 21% to 3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2013, and was narrowest at 1% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,440 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Mendocino County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.0% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.2% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 3,742 people are unemployed in Mendocino County, California.
The average commute time in Mendocino County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mendocino County, California has fallen from 11.0% to 9.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.3% in 2014 and fell as low as 8.5% in 2021.
Mendocino County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Mendocino County, CA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 90,240 residents against a local median of 28,492. Mendocino County, CA sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 8% above the local median at 9.0% against 8.3%. Mendocino County, CA has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mendocino County, CA | 90,240 | $68,620 #3/6 | 6.0%/yr #3/6 | 9.0% #4/6 | 0.552 #3/6 |
| Lake County, CA | 68,148 | $60,936 | 6.8%/yr | 11.1% | 0.571 |
| Sonoma County, CA | 485,012 | $105,553 | 5.7%/yr | 5.7% | 0.529 |
| Glenn County, CA | 28,492 | $66,909 | 6.2%/yr | 8.0% | 0.550 |
| Colusa County, CA | 21,984 | $75,609 | 4.1%/yr | 9.8% | 0.566 |
| Trinity County, CA | 15,860 | $51,690 | 5.0%/yr | 8.3% | 0.584 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mendocino 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 Mendocino County, California.
How Rich Is Mendocino County, California?
Mendocino 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 $68,620, about 31% lower than the California average of $99,161.
How has median household income changed in Mendocino County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mendocino County, California rose 61%, from $42,739 to $68,620. Over the same years, income here lagged behind California as a whole: +61% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Mendocino County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mendocino County, California was $65,669, up 6% from $61,810 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Mendocino County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mendocino County, California was $53,375. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $68,620.
Is unemployment high in Mendocino County, California?
Unemployment in Mendocino County, California is 9.0%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Mendocino County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Mendocino County is 0.552. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Mendocino County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mendocino County, California has narrowed from about 21% to 3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2013, and was narrowest at 1% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $6,440 since 2009.
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