Graham County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Graham 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
Graham County Well below averageLess wealthy than 76% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Graham County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,669 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,586 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.3% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Graham County is about 31% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Graham County (4.6%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Graham 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 Graham County, North Carolina grew by 81.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,669 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Graham County
| Metric | Graham County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.505 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,204 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,490 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 29.9% | 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 Graham County, it is 0.505, 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 43% more than women's income in Graham County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 43% wage gap accumulates to roughly $619,990 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Graham County, North Carolina has widened from about 20% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2014 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,031 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Graham County widened by 9.6 points while North Carolina's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Graham County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 2.2% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 241 people are unemployed in Graham County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Graham County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Graham County, North Carolina has fallen from 7.7% to 7.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.1% in 2015 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2020.
Graham County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Graham County, NC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 8,067 residents against a local median of 29,563. Where Graham County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 73% above the local median of 4.1% at 7.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.6%/yr against a local median of 5.9%/yr, 22% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Graham County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.0% on unemployment, so Graham County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Graham County, NC has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Graham County, NC | 8,067 | $49,669 #6/6 | 4.6%/yr #6/6 | 7.0% #5/6 | 0.505 #2/6 |
| Clay County, NC | 11,613 | $57,775 | 6.0%/yr | 2.6% | 0.546 |
| Cherokee County, NC | 29,563 | $54,386 | 5.6%/yr | 4.1% | 0.497 |
| Blount County, TN | 139,333 | $78,165 | 5.9%/yr | 3.5% | 0.519 |
| Swain County, NC | 14,014 | $55,019 | 6.5%/yr | 7.6% | 0.535 |
| Monroe County, TN | 47,695 | $56,619 | 5.5%/yr | 4.3% | 0.530 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Graham 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 Graham County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Graham County, North Carolina?
Graham 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 $49,669, about 31% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How fast is household income rising in Graham County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Graham County, North Carolina rose 82%, from $27,360 to $49,669. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +82% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Graham County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Graham County, North Carolina was $48,857, up 4% from $46,952 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Graham County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Graham County, North Carolina was $42,487. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $49,669.
Is it hard to find a job in Graham County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Graham County, North Carolina is 7.0%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Graham County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Graham County is 0.505. 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 Graham County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Graham County, North Carolina has widened from about 20% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2014 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,031 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 →