Gates County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Gates 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
Gates County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $64,008 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,739 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.8% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.0% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.1% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Gates County is about 12% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Gates County (2.8%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Gates 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 Gates County, North Carolina grew by 35.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $64,008 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Gates County
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.515 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $68,241 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,499 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 39.2% | 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 Gates County, it is 0.515, 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 64% more than women's income in Gates County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 64% wage gap accumulates to roughly $935,970 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Gates County, North Carolina has widened from about 25% to 39% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 22% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $16,364 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Gates County widened by 14.1 points while North Carolina's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Gates County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.5% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 35 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 278 people are unemployed in Gates County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Gates County is 35 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Gates County, North Carolina has fallen from 8.8% to 5.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.5% in 2014.
Gates County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Gates County, NC is the smallest of the 4 counties compared here, 10,369 residents against a local median of 13,836. Where Gates County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 41% above the local median of 4.1% at 5.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.8%/yr against a local median of 4.3%/yr, 36% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Gates County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.4% on unemployment, so Gates County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Gates County, NC has the 3rd lowest unemployment of the 4 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gates County, NC | 10,369 | $64,008 #2/4 | 2.8%/yr #4/4 | 5.8% #3/4 | 0.515 #1/4 |
| Hertford County, NC | 19,906 | $45,535 | 3.6%/yr | 5.9% | 0.569 |
| Chowan County, NC | 13,836 | $56,822 | 4.3%/yr | 4.1% | 0.522 |
| Perquimans County, NC | 13,244 | $69,399 | 5.5%/yr | 3.6% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Gates County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with North Carolina, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Gates County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Gates County, North Carolina?
Gates 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 $64,008, about 12% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Gates County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Gates County, North Carolina rose 36%, from $47,114 to $64,008. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +36% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Gates County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Gates County, North Carolina was $61,508, up 5% from $58,678 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Gates County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Gates County, North Carolina was $46,341. By 2024 it had risen 38% to $64,008.
Is unemployment high in Gates County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Gates County, North Carolina is 5.8%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Gates County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Gates County is 0.515. 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 Gates County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Gates County, North Carolina has widened from about 25% to 39% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 22% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $16,364 since 2009.
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