Smith County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Smith 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.
-
D
Smith County Well below averageWealthier than 75% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Smith County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $62,346 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,184 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 8.1% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.3% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.9% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Smith County is about 10% higher than in Mississippi. Income has been growing faster in Smith County (8.1%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Smith 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 Smith County, Mississippi grew by 68.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $62,346 in 2024. That's an average of about 8.1% per year.
Smith County has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. The gap has narrowed from 28% in 2009 to 23% in 2024, the closest it has been.
Income Distribution in Smith 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 1,453 households (26.0% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 36.1% of households in Smith County had an income under $35,000 and 8.2% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Smith County has a larger share of households earning $15,000 to $24,999 (15.8% vs 6.4%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (3.9% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 294 | 5.3% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 346 | 6.2% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 886 | 15.8% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 490 | 8.8% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 443 | 7.9% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,092 | 19.5% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 588 | 10.5% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 996 | 17.8% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 240 | 4.3% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 217 | 3.9% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 5,592 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 725 residents (6.3% 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 7.6% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 17.1% of Smith County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 37.0% had some income but less than $25,000, and 12.6% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Smith County has a larger share of residents earning $15,000 to $24,999 (18.5% vs 10.5%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (6.3% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 1,967 | 17.1% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 722 | 6.3% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 1,404 | 12.2% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 2,121 | 18.5% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 1,064 | 9.3% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 1,226 | 10.7% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 1,521 | 13.3% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 722 | 6.3% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 725 | 6.3% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 11,472 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 17.1% 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 Smith County
| Metric | Smith County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.557 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,049 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,586 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 35.6% | 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 Smith County, it is 0.557, 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 55% more than women's income in Smith County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 55% wage gap accumulates to roughly $786,205 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Smith County, Mississippi has widened from about 25% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,866 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Smith County widened by 10.1 points while Mississippi's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Smith County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.8% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 254 people are unemployed in Smith County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Smith County is 26 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Smith County, Mississippi has fallen from 6.9% to 4.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.3% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2018.
Smith County has stayed well below the U.S. unemployment rate in every year from 2011 to 2024 and has never risen above it. It came closest in 2023, at 0.8 points lower. The gap has narrowed from 1.7 points in 2011 to 0.8 points in 2024.
Smith County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Smith County, MS is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 14,132 residents against a local median of 25,691. The measure that sets Smith County, MS apart most is income growth: 8.1%/yr, 62% above the local median of 5.0%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $62,346 against a local median of $48,730, 28% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Smith County, MS is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves sit within 1.5%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Smith County, MS, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Smith County, MS has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County, MS | 14,132 | $62,346 #2/6 | 8.1%/yr #1/6 | 4.4% #4/6 | 0.557 #5/6 |
| Covington County, MS | 18,148 | $45,024 | 5.0%/yr | 3.5% | 0.559 |
| Jasper County, MS | 16,059 | $48,278 | 4.2%/yr | 6.2% | 0.519 |
| Scott County, MS | 27,718 | $48,730 | 5.3%/yr | 5.5% | 0.550 |
| Simpson County, MS | 25,691 | $55,766 | 5.3%/yr | 4.3% | 0.541 |
| Rankin County, MS | 158,854 | $79,849 | 3.8%/yr | 4.3% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Smith 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 Smith County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Smith County, Mississippi?
Smith 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 $62,346, about 10% higher than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
Are incomes growing in Smith County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Smith County, Mississippi rose 68%, from $37,014 to $62,346. Over the same years, income here outpaced Mississippi as a whole: +68% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Smith County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Smith County, Mississippi was $53,023, up 4% from $50,744 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Smith County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Smith County, Mississippi was $44,688. By 2024 it had risen 40% to $62,346.
Is it hard to find a job in Smith County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Smith County, Mississippi is only 4.4%, 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 Smith County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Smith County is 0.557. 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 Smith County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Smith County, Mississippi has widened from about 25% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,866 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →