Burke County, Georgia Income Statistics
Burke 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
Burke County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Burke County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,563 | $77,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,578 | $55,999 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.7% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.0% | 12.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.7% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Burke County is about 31% lower than in Georgia. Income has been growing faster in Burke County (5.7%/yr) than in Georgia (5.3%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Burke 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 Burke County, Georgia grew by 70.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,563 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Burke County
| Metric | Burke County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.561 | 0.561 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,290 | $65,087 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,618 | $53,213 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.1% | 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 Burke County, it is 0.561, about the same as Georgia's 0.561, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Burke County, Georgia. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $338,520 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Burke County, Georgia has narrowed from about 35% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,237 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Burke County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.3% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 559 people are unemployed in Burke County, Georgia.
The average commute time in Burke County is 25 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Georgia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Burke County, Georgia has fallen from 10.0% to 5.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.6% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.3% in 2019.
Burke County, GA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Burke County, GA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 24,470 residents against a local median of 15,341. Nothing separates Burke County, GA sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 10% above the local median at 5.7%/yr against 5.2%/yr. Burke County, GA has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burke County, GA | 24,470 | $53,563 #3/6 | 5.7%/yr #3/6 | 5.0% #4/6 | 0.561 #3/6 |
| Jenkins County, GA | 8,711 | $44,294 | 6.4%/yr | 3.9% | 0.612 |
| Richmond County, GA | 206,056 | $56,121 | 4.8%/yr | 8.0% | 0.557 |
| Jefferson County, GA | 15,341 | $53,102 | 8.2%/yr | 5.8% | 0.562 |
| Screven County, GA | 14,130 | $51,826 | 5.2%/yr | 4.6% | 0.575 |
| Columbia County, GA | 162,330 | $95,509 | 3.6%/yr | 4.6% | 0.549 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Burke County, Georgia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Georgia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Burke County, Georgia.
How Rich Is Burke County, Georgia?
Burke 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 $53,563, about 31% lower than the Georgia average of $77,523.
Are incomes growing in Burke County, Georgia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Burke County, Georgia rose 70%, from $31,477 to $53,563. Over the same years, income here outpaced Georgia as a whole: +70% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Burke County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Burke County, Georgia was $50,910, up 1% from $50,597 in 2022. The Georgia median that year was $74,682.
What was the median household income in Burke County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Burke County, Georgia was $45,826. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $53,563.
What is the Gini coefficient in Burke County, Georgia?
The Gini coefficient in Burke County is 0.561. 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 Burke County, Georgia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Burke County, Georgia has narrowed from about 35% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,237 since 2009.
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