Pontotoc County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Pontotoc 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
Pontotoc County Well below averageWealthier than 70% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Pontotoc County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,298 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,594 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.6% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.2% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.5% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Pontotoc County is about 8% lower than in Mississippi. Income has been growing slower in Pontotoc County (3.6%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc County, Mississippi grew by 34.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,298 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Pontotoc County
| Metric | Pontotoc County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.531 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,579 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,470 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.7% | 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 Pontotoc County, it is 0.531, lower than Mississippi's 0.566, 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 21% more than women's income in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $318,815 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pontotoc County, Mississippi has widened from about 13% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,914 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Pontotoc County widened by 5.1 points while Mississippi's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Pontotoc County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 2.5% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 444 people are unemployed in Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Pontotoc County is 23 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Pontotoc County, Mississippi has fallen from 7.4% to 3.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.6% in 2014 and fell as low as 2.7% in 2021.
Pontotoc County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Pontotoc County, MS is typical in size for this group, 31,525 residents against a local median of 28,122, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Pontotoc County, MS's unemployment, at 3.1%, runs 33% below the 4.7% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.6%/yr against a local median of 5.2%/yr, 32% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Pontotoc County, MS is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.9% on unemployment, so Pontotoc County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Pontotoc County, MS has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pontotoc County, MS | 31,525 | $52,298 #4/6 | 3.6%/yr #6/6 | 3.1% #2/6 | 0.531 #3/6 |
| Union County, MS | 28,122 | $56,904 | 5.2%/yr | 4.4% | 0.554 |
| Chickasaw County, MS | 16,915 | $43,354 | 4.1%/yr | 4.9% | 0.521 |
| Lee County, MS | 83,034 | $68,266 | 5.9%/yr | 5.0% | 0.546 |
| Calhoun County, MS | 12,852 | $43,716 | 4.4%/yr | 4.7% | 0.510 |
| Lafayette County, MS | 58,327 | $70,279 | 6.1%/yr | 2.1% | 0.624 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pontotoc 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 Pontotoc County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Pontotoc County, Mississippi?
Pontotoc 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 $52,298, about 8% lower than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
How fast is household income rising in Pontotoc County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Pontotoc County, Mississippi rose 34%, from $38,948 to $52,298. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Mississippi as a whole: +34% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Pontotoc County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Pontotoc County, Mississippi was $53,269, down 3% from $55,102 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Pontotoc County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Pontotoc County, Mississippi was $49,302. By 2024 it had risen 6% to $52,298.
How strong is the job market in Pontotoc County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Pontotoc County, Mississippi is only 3.1%, 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 Pontotoc County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Pontotoc County is 0.531. 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 Pontotoc County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pontotoc County, Mississippi has widened from about 13% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,914 since 2009.
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