Lamar County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Lamar 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
Lamar County Below averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lamar County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $70,466 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $53,318 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.2% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.3% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.0% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lamar County is about 24% higher than in Mississippi. Income has been growing slower in Lamar County (3.2%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Lamar County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Mississippi average of 7%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lamar County, Mississippi grew by 46.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $70,466 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.2% per year.
Lamar County has stayed below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2017, at 0.5% lower. The gap has widened from 5.8% in 2009 to 12% in 2024.
Income Distribution in Lamar County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 8,567 households (33.8% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 23.4% of households in Lamar County had an income under $35,000 and 16.1% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Lamar County has a larger share of households earning $50,000 to $74,999 (19.0% vs 15.5%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (9.0% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 1,669 | 6.6% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 974 | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,666 | 6.6% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,633 | 6.4% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 2,746 | 10.8% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,826 | 19.0% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,300 | 13.0% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 4,492 | 17.7% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,798 | 7.1% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 2,277 | 9.0% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 25,381 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 5,967 residents (11.3% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 13.0% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 12.6% of Lamar County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 31.2% had some income but less than $25,000, and 18.2% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Lamar County has a larger share of residents earning $1 to $9,999 (12.5% vs 11.2%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (11.3% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 6,649 | 12.6% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 6,574 | 12.5% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 4,306 | 8.2% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 5,549 | 10.5% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 5,603 | 10.6% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 6,605 | 12.6% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 7,781 | 14.8% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,592 | 6.8% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 5,967 | 11.3% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 52,626 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 12.6% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lamar County
| Metric | Lamar County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.555 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,542 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,053 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 28.2% | 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 Lamar County, it is 0.555, lower than Mississippi's 0.566, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 39% more than women's income in Lamar County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 39% wage gap accumulates to roughly $647,115 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lamar County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 31% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2010, and was narrowest at 25% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,186 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lamar County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,585 people are unemployed in Lamar County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Lamar County is 21 minutes, about the same as in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lamar County, Mississippi has fallen from 5.7% to 4.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.2% in 2019.
Lamar County was below the U.S. unemployment rate from 2011 to 2014, rose above it by 2015, peaking at 4.8 points higher in 2019, then fell back below it by 2023. In 2024 its rate was 0.5 points lower.
Lamar County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lamar County, MS is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,698 residents against a local median of 24,193. The measure that sets Lamar County, MS apart most is median household income: $70,466, 56% above the local median of $45,107. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.2%/yr against a local median of 4.8%/yr, 34% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Lamar County, MS is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread $20,244 on median household income, so Lamar County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lamar County, MS has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County, MS | 65,698 | $70,466 #1/6 | 3.2%/yr #6/6 | 4.8% #2/6 | 0.555 #2/6 |
| Forrest County, MS | 78,271 | $54,020 | 4.8%/yr | 6.6% | 0.570 |
| Marion County, MS | 24,193 | $45,107 | 4.9%/yr | 7.5% | 0.568 |
| Covington County, MS | 18,148 | $45,024 | 5.0%/yr | 3.5% | 0.559 |
| Pearl River County, MS | 57,458 | $58,730 | 4.2%/yr | 6.1% | 0.573 |
| Jefferson Davis County, MS | 11,117 | $38,486 | 4.8%/yr | 9.5% | 0.545 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lamar County, Mississippi has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Mississippi, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lamar County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Lamar County, Mississippi?
Lamar 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 $70,466, about 24% higher than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
Are incomes growing in Lamar County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lamar County, Mississippi rose 46%, from $48,157 to $70,466. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Mississippi as a whole: +46% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Lamar County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lamar County, Mississippi was $69,517, up 1% from $69,147 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Lamar County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lamar County, Mississippi was $61,589. By 2024 it had risen 14% to $70,466.
Do many residents of Lamar County, Mississippi earn over $100,000?
Yes. 11% of adults in Lamar County, Mississippi earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 9), against 7% (about 1 in 14) in Mississippi. 9% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 6% in Mississippi.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lamar County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Lamar County is 0.555. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Lamar County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lamar County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 31% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2010, and was narrowest at 25% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,186 since 2009.
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