Hertford County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Hertford 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
Hertford County Well below averageLess wealthy than 94% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $45,535 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,573 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.3% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.6% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hertford County is about 37% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Hertford County (3.6%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Hertford 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 Hertford County, North Carolina grew by 47.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $45,535 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hertford County
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.569 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,376 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,933 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.0% | 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 Hertford County, it is 0.569, 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 22% more than women's income in Hertford County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $330,505 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hertford County, North Carolina has widened from about 11% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,156 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Hertford County widened by 7.4 points while North Carolina's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Hertford County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.3% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 502 people are unemployed in Hertford County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Hertford County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hertford County, North Carolina has fallen from 14.0% to 5.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.3% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.2% in 2023.
Hertford County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hertford County, NC is the largest of the 5 counties compared here, 19,906 residents against a local median of 17,049. Hertford County, NC's income growth, at 3.6%/yr, runs 28% below the 5.0%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $45,535 against a local median of $57,078, 20% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Hertford County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.2%/yr on income growth, so Hertford County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hertford County, NC has the 4th highest income growth of the 5 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hertford County, NC | 19,906 | $45,535 #5/5 | 3.6%/yr #4/5 | 5.9% #4/5 | 0.569 #5/5 |
| Gates County, NC | 10,369 | $64,008 | 2.8%/yr | 5.8% | 0.515 |
| Bertie County, NC | 17,166 | $49,724 | 5.9%/yr | 5.1% | 0.558 |
| Southampton County, VA | 17,965 | $70,441 | 4.1%/yr | 5.4% | 0.543 |
| Northampton County, NC | 16,931 | $50,149 | 6.0%/yr | 8.1% | 0.531 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hertford 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 Hertford County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Hertford County, North Carolina?
Hertford 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 $45,535, about 37% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How has median household income changed in Hertford County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hertford County, North Carolina rose 47%, from $30,922 to $45,535. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +47% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Hertford County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hertford County, North Carolina was $46,836, up 1% from $46,330 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Hertford County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hertford County, North Carolina was $42,661. By 2024 it had risen 7% to $45,535.
How strong is the job market in Hertford County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Hertford County, North Carolina is 5.9%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hertford County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Hertford County is 0.569. 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 Hertford County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hertford County, North Carolina has widened from about 11% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,156 since 2009.
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