Ben Hill County, Georgia Income Statistics
Ben Hill 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
Ben Hill County Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Georgia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ben Hill County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $42,273 | $77,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,853 | $55,999 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.8% | 12.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.4% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ben Hill County is about 45% lower than in Georgia. Income has been growing slower in Ben Hill County (4.6%/yr) than in Georgia (5.3%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Ben Hill County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Georgia average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Ben Hill County, Georgia grew by 40.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $42,273 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Ben Hill County
| Metric | Ben Hill County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.575 | 0.561 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $45,762 | $65,087 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,679 | $53,213 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.7% | 18.2% | 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 Ben Hill County, it is 0.575, higher than Georgia's 0.561, 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 21% more than women's income in Ben Hill County, Georgia. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $282,905 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ben Hill County, Georgia has narrowed from about 30% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2018, and was narrowest at 12% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,240 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Ben Hill County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.7% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 230 people are unemployed in Ben Hill County, Georgia.
The average commute time in Ben Hill County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Georgia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ben Hill County, Georgia has fallen from 11.8% to 3.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.5% in 2012.
Ben Hill County, GA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Ben Hill County, GA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 17,089 residents against a local median of 9,285. The measure that sets Ben Hill County, GA apart most is unemployment: 3.1%, 44% below the local median of 5.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.6%/yr against a local median of 6.3%/yr, 26% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Ben Hill County, GA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 8.1% on unemployment, so Ben Hill County, GA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Ben Hill County, GA has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ben Hill County, GA | 17,089 | $42,273 #5/6 | 4.6%/yr #5/6 | 3.1% #1/6 | 0.575 #3/6 |
| Irwin County, GA | 9,285 | $52,289 | 7.5%/yr | 4.0% | 0.542 |
| Wilcox County, GA | 8,798 | $54,927 | 6.3%/yr | 5.5% | 0.640 |
| Telfair County, GA | 11,831 | $50,766 | 8.2%/yr | 5.2% | 0.671 |
| Turner County, GA | 8,939 | $37,444 | 1.5%/yr | 12.2% | 0.544 |
| Dodge County, GA | 19,805 | $51,316 | 4.8%/yr | 6.1% | 0.578 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ben Hill County, Georgia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Georgia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Ben Hill County, Georgia.
How Rich Is Ben Hill County, Georgia?
Ben Hill 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 $42,273, about 45% lower than the Georgia average of $77,523.
How has median household income changed in Ben Hill County, Georgia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ben Hill County, Georgia rose 41%, from $30,076 to $42,273. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Georgia as a whole: +41% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Ben Hill County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ben Hill County, Georgia was $39,351, up 3% from $38,081 in 2022. The Georgia median that year was $74,682.
What was the median household income in Ben Hill County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ben Hill County, Georgia was $32,534. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $42,273.
Is unemployment high in Ben Hill County, Georgia?
Unemployment in Ben Hill County, Georgia is only 3.1%, well below the Georgia rate of 5.1%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Ben Hill County, Georgia?
The Gini coefficient in Ben Hill County is 0.575. 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 Ben Hill County, Georgia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ben Hill County, Georgia has narrowed from about 30% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2018, and was narrowest at 12% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,240 since 2009.
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