Brunswick County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Brunswick 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
Brunswick County Below averageWealthier than 81% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Brunswick County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $77,075 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,742 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.8% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.5% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.8% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Brunswick County is about 6% higher than in North Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Brunswick County (5.8%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Brunswick County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the North Carolina average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Brunswick County, North Carolina grew by 74.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $77,075 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Brunswick County
| Metric | Brunswick County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.512 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,728 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $51,922 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.2% | 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 Brunswick County, it is 0.512, lower than North Carolina's 0.547, 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 Brunswick County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $378,210 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brunswick County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 21% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2014, and was narrowest at 12% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,055 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Brunswick County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 14.7% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 3,049 people are unemployed in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Brunswick County is 22 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Brunswick County, North Carolina has fallen from 12.2% to 4.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.0% in 2013.
Brunswick County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Brunswick County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 152,554 residents against a local median of 65,530. Brunswick County, NC's income growth, at 5.8%/yr, runs 18% above the 4.9%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $77,075 against a local median of $66,773, 15% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Brunswick County, NC is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 3.1%/yr on income growth, so Brunswick County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Brunswick 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brunswick County, NC | 152,554 | $77,075 #2/6 | 5.8%/yr #2/6 | 4.6% #3/6 | 0.512 #1/6 |
| New Hanover County, NC | 235,214 | $75,172 | 4.9%/yr | 4.5% | 0.536 |
| Columbus County, NC | 50,166 | $49,633 | 4.2%/yr | 4.4% | 0.559 |
| Pender County, NC | 65,530 | $80,638 | 7.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.549 |
| Bladen County, NC | 29,571 | $41,756 | 4.1%/yr | 5.4% | 0.562 |
| Horry County, SC | 382,931 | $66,773 | 5.1%/yr | 4.9% | 0.531 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Brunswick County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than North Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Brunswick County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Brunswick County, North Carolina?
Brunswick 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 $77,075, about 6% higher than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How has median household income changed in Brunswick County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Brunswick County, North Carolina rose 74%, from $44,238 to $77,075. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +74% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Brunswick County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Brunswick County, North Carolina was $74,091, up 3% from $71,714 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Brunswick County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Brunswick County, North Carolina was $59,749. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $77,075.
What is the Gini coefficient in Brunswick County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Brunswick County is 0.512. 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 Brunswick County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Brunswick County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 21% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2014, and was narrowest at 12% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,055 since 2009.
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