Haywood County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Haywood 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
Haywood County Below averageWealthier than 78% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Haywood County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,952 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,090 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.1% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.6% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Haywood County is about 12% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Haywood County (4.8%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Haywood 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 Haywood County, North Carolina grew by 60.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,952 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Haywood County
| Metric | Haywood County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.521 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,528 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,985 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.6% | 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 Haywood County, it is 0.521, 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 17% more than women's income in Haywood County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 17% wage gap accumulates to roughly $299,005 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Haywood County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 20% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2018, and was narrowest at 10% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $531 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Haywood County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.6% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 914 people are unemployed in Haywood County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Haywood County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Haywood County, North Carolina has fallen from 8.2% to 3.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.6% in 2012.
Haywood County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Haywood County, NC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 59,366 residents against a local median of 36,809. Where Haywood County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 27% below the local median of 4.2% at 3.1%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.1% on unemployment, so Haywood County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Haywood County, NC has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Haywood County, NC | 59,366 | $63,952 #3/6 | 4.8%/yr #4/6 | 3.1% #2/6 | 0.521 #2/6 |
| Jackson County, NC | 43,786 | $55,909 | 4.2%/yr | 4.9% | 0.533 |
| Cocke County, TN | 36,809 | $47,750 | 5.6%/yr | 4.2% | 0.514 |
| Transylvania County, NC | 33,685 | $65,479 | 5.1%/yr | 2.8% | 0.523 |
| Madison County, NC | 21,867 | $58,302 | 4.8%/yr | 3.1% | 0.538 |
| Buncombe County, NC | 274,254 | $74,474 | 6.0%/yr | 4.3% | 0.536 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Haywood 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 Haywood County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Haywood County, North Carolina?
Haywood 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 $63,952, about 12% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How fast is household income rising in Haywood County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Haywood County, North Carolina rose 61%, from $39,735 to $63,952. Over the same years, income here kept pace with North Carolina as a whole: +61% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Haywood County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Haywood County, North Carolina was $61,534, up 8% from $56,972 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Haywood County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Haywood County, North Carolina was $52,068. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $63,952.
Is it hard to find a job in Haywood County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Haywood County, North Carolina is only 3.1%, well below the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Haywood County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Haywood County is 0.521. 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 Haywood County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Haywood County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 20% to 15% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2018, and was narrowest at 10% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $531 since 2009.
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