Chatham County, Georgia Income Statistics
Chatham 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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C
Chatham County Below averageWealthier than 79% of counties in Georgia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Chatham County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $71,349 | $77,523 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,466 | $55,999 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 5.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.6% | 12.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.0% | 11.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Chatham County is about 8% lower than in Georgia. Income has been growing slower in Chatham County (4.7%/yr) than in Georgia (5.3%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Chatham 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 Chatham County, Georgia grew by 60.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $71,349 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Chatham County
| Metric | Chatham County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.561 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,695 | $65,087 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $50,367 | $53,213 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.6% | 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 Chatham County, it is 0.545, lower than Georgia's 0.561, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 19% more than women's income in Chatham County, Georgia. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $326,480 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chatham County, Georgia has narrowed from about 26% to 16% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,905 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Chatham County | Georgia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 5.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.6% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 9,121 people are unemployed in Chatham County, Georgia.
The average commute time in Chatham County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Georgia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Chatham County, Georgia has fallen from 7.6% to 5.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.6% in 2023.
Chatham County, GA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Chatham County, GA is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 300,892 residents against a local median of 67,384. The measure that sets Chatham County, GA apart most is median household income: $71,349, 19% below the local median of $88,120. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 5.8% against a local median of 4.9%, 19% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Chatham County, GA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread $42,344 on median household income, so Chatham County, GA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Chatham County, GA has the 4th highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chatham County, GA | 300,892 | $71,349 #4/6 | 4.7%/yr #4/6 | 5.8% #5/6 | 0.545 #6/6 |
| Bryan County, GA | 48,263 | $103,065 | 5.6%/yr | 4.9% | 0.530 |
| Liberty County, GA | 67,384 | $60,721 | 4.4%/yr | 6.2% | 0.526 |
| Jasper County, SC | 32,186 | $65,115 | 6.8%/yr | 4.5% | 0.543 |
| Effingham County, GA | 69,143 | $89,617 | 4.5%/yr | 5.4% | 0.530 |
| Beaufort County, SC | 195,246 | $88,120 | 5.1%/yr | 2.4% | 0.520 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Chatham County, Georgia has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Georgia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Chatham County, Georgia.
How Rich Is Chatham County, Georgia?
Chatham County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $71,349, about 8% lower than the Georgia average of $77,523.
How fast is household income rising in Chatham County, Georgia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Chatham County, Georgia rose 61%, from $44,430 to $71,349. Over the same years, income here outpaced Georgia as a whole: +61% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Chatham County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Chatham County, Georgia was $69,713, up 5% from $66,331 in 2022. The Georgia median that year was $74,682.
What was the median household income in Chatham County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Chatham County, Georgia was $58,312. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $71,349.
What is the Gini coefficient in Chatham County, Georgia?
The Gini coefficient in Chatham County is 0.545. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Chatham County, Georgia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chatham County, Georgia has narrowed from about 26% to 16% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,905 since 2009.
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