Covington County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Covington 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
Covington County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Covington County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $45,024 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,461 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.5% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.4% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Covington County is about 21% lower than in Mississippi. Income has been growing faster in Covington County (5.0%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Covington County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Mississippi average of 7%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Covington County, Mississippi grew by 47.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $45,024 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Covington County
| Metric | Covington County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.559 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,153 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,615 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 40.4% | 22.8% | 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 Covington County, it is 0.559, lower than Mississippi's 0.566, so income is more 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 68% more than women's income in Covington County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 68% wage gap accumulates to roughly $893,830 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Covington County, Mississippi has widened from about 25% to 40% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 42% in 2020, and was narrowest at 12% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $16,842 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Covington County widened by 15.3 points while Mississippi's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Covington County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.8% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 260 people are unemployed in Covington County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Covington County is 21 minutes, about the same as in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Covington County, Mississippi has fallen from 7.1% to 3.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.7% in 2015.
Covington County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Covington County, MS is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 18,148 residents against a local median of 25,691. Where Covington County, MS breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 22% below the local median of 4.4% at 3.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $45,024 against a local median of $55,766, 19% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Covington County, MS is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.5% on unemployment, so Covington County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Covington County, MS 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Covington County, MS | 18,148 | $45,024 #5/6 | 5.0%/yr #3/6 | 3.5% #1/6 | 0.559 #6/6 |
| Jefferson Davis County, MS | 11,117 | $38,486 | 4.8%/yr | 9.5% | 0.545 |
| Jones County, MS | 66,472 | $52,902 | 4.3%/yr | 4.0% | 0.556 |
| Smith County, MS | 14,132 | $62,346 | 8.1%/yr | 4.4% | 0.557 |
| Lamar County, MS | 65,698 | $70,466 | 3.2%/yr | 4.8% | 0.555 |
| Simpson County, MS | 25,691 | $55,766 | 5.3%/yr | 4.3% | 0.541 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Covington County, Mississippi has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Mississippi, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Covington County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Covington County, Mississippi?
Covington 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 $45,024, about 21% lower than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
How has median household income changed in Covington County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Covington County, Mississippi rose 47%, from $30,621 to $45,024. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Mississippi as a whole: +47% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Covington County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Covington County, Mississippi was $47,076, up 17% from $40,120 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Covington County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Covington County, Mississippi was $33,707. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $45,024.
Is it hard to find a job in Covington County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Covington County, Mississippi is only 3.5%, well below the Mississippi rate of 5.7%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Covington County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Covington County is 0.559. 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 Covington County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Covington County, Mississippi has widened from about 25% to 40% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 42% in 2020, and was narrowest at 12% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $16,842 since 2009.
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