Avery County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Avery 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
Avery County Well below averageLess wealthy than 95% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Avery County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,446 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,256 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.5% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.3% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.5% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Avery County is about 12% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Avery County (7.5%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Avery County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the North Carolina average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Avery County, North Carolina grew by 83.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,446 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Avery County
| Metric | Avery County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.576 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,341 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,114 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 8.6% | 16.7% | 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 Avery County, it is 0.576, higher than North Carolina's 0.547, so income is less 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 9% more than women's income in Avery County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 9% wage gap accumulates to roughly $147,945 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Avery County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 11% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2011, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 2%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $478 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Avery County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.2% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 352 people are unemployed in Avery County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Avery County is 21 minutes, about the same as in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Avery County, North Carolina has fallen from 6.4% to 4.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.3% in 2018.
Avery County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Avery County, NC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 17,672 residents against a local median of 55,114. Avery County, NC's income growth, at 7.5%/yr, runs 46% above the 5.1%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.8% against a local median of 6.2%, 22% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Avery County, NC is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 4.0%/yr on income growth, so Avery County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Avery County, NC has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avery County, NC | 17,672 | $63,446 #1/6 | 7.5%/yr #2/6 | 4.8% #3/6 | 0.576 #5/6 |
| Mitchell County, NC | 14,959 | $57,009 | 4.7%/yr | 6.5% | 0.503 |
| Watauga County, NC | 55,114 | $52,022 | 3.5%/yr | 7.9% | 0.620 |
| Carter County, TN | 56,703 | $50,141 | 5.3%/yr | 6.2% | 0.534 |
| Johnson County, TN | 18,196 | $53,642 | 7.5%/yr | 3.2% | 0.569 |
| Burke County, NC | 87,684 | $59,001 | 5.1%/yr | 4.4% | 0.518 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Avery County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than North Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Avery County, North Carolina.
How Wealthy Is Avery County, North Carolina?
Avery 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 $63,446, about 12% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How fast is household income rising in Avery County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Avery County, North Carolina rose 83%, from $34,667 to $63,446. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +83% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Avery County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Avery County, North Carolina was $56,303, up 7% from $52,799 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Avery County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Avery County, North Carolina was $42,626. By 2024 it had risen 49% to $63,446.
What is the Gini coefficient in Avery County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Avery County is 0.576. 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 Avery County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Avery County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 11% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2011, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 2%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $478 since 2009.
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