Tulare County, California Income Statistics
Tulare 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
Tulare County Well below averageLess wealthy than 91% of counties in California
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Tulare County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $71,104 | $99,161 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,170 | $67,742 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.5% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.9% | 17.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.5% | 20.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Tulare County is about 28% lower than in California. Income has been growing faster in Tulare County (6.5%/yr) than in California (5.6%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Tulare 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 Tulare County, California grew by 65.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $71,104 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Tulare County
| Metric | Tulare County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.592 | 0.572 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,622 | $75,172 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,211 | $66,071 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.6% | 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 Tulare County, it is 0.592, 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 16% more than women's income in Tulare County, California. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $259,385 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Tulare County, California has narrowed from about 17% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,205 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Tulare County | California Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.3% | 6.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.1% | 17.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 20,062 people are unemployed in Tulare County, California.
The average commute time in Tulare County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in California.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Tulare County, California has fallen from 13.4% to 9.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 8.8% in 2023.
Tulare County, CA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Tulare County, CA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 478,693 residents against a local median of 161,170. Tulare County, CA's income growth, at 6.5%/yr, runs 16% above the 5.6%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.2%/yr on income growth, so Tulare County, CA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Tulare County, CA has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tulare County, CA | 478,693 | $71,104 #5/6 | 6.5%/yr #2/6 | 9.3% #4/6 | 0.592 #2/6 |
| Kern County, CA | 915,060 | $70,255 | 4.4%/yr | 8.6% | 0.605 |
| Fresno County, CA | 1,016,723 | $74,148 | 6.2%/yr | 8.7% | 0.594 |
| Kings County, CA | 153,298 | $71,135 | 5.3%/yr | 9.9% | 0.615 |
| Madera County, CA | 161,170 | $76,645 | 6.7%/yr | 10.1% | 0.608 |
| Inyo County, CA | 18,739 | $73,704 | 5.6%/yr | 2.5% | 0.529 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Tulare 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 Tulare County, California.
How Rich Is Tulare County, California?
Tulare 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 $71,104, about 28% lower than the California average of $99,161.
Are incomes growing in Tulare County, California?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Tulare County, California rose 65%, from $43,081 to $71,104. Over the same years, income here outpaced California as a whole: +65% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Tulare County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Tulare County, California was $69,261, up 7% from $64,494 in 2022. The California median that year was $96,718.
What was the median household income in Tulare County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Tulare County, California was $53,175. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $71,104.
Is unemployment high in Tulare County, California?
Unemployment in Tulare County, California is 9.3%, well above the California rate of 6.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Tulare County, California?
The Gini coefficient in Tulare County is 0.592. 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 Tulare County, California?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Tulare County, California has narrowed from about 17% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,205 since 2009.
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