Jackson County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Jackson 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
Jackson County Well below averageLess wealthy than 72% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Jackson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,909 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,363 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.2% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.7% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Jackson County is about 23% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Jackson County (4.2%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Jackson 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 Jackson County, North Carolina grew by 44.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,909 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Jackson County
| Metric | Jackson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.533 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $46,683 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,958 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 8.0% | 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 Jackson County, it is 0.533, 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 9% more than women's income in Jackson County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 9% wage gap accumulates to roughly $130,375 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jackson County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 14% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2010, and was narrowest at 4% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,366 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Jackson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.8% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,025 people are unemployed in Jackson County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Jackson County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Jackson County, North Carolina has fallen from 7.0% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.1% in 2014 and fell as low as 4.7% in 2018.
Jackson County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Jackson County, NC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 43,786 residents against a local median of 33,685. Where Jackson County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 75% above the local median of 2.8% at 4.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.2%/yr against a local median of 5.2%/yr, 19% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Jackson County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 6.3% on unemployment, so Jackson County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jackson 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, NC | 43,786 | $55,909 #5/6 | 4.2%/yr #6/6 | 4.9% #5/6 | 0.533 #5/6 |
| Haywood County, NC | 59,366 | $63,952 | 4.8%/yr | 3.1% | 0.521 |
| Macon County, NC | 37,947 | $59,398 | 5.2%/yr | 2.8% | 0.511 |
| Transylvania County, NC | 33,685 | $65,479 | 5.1%/yr | 2.8% | 0.523 |
| Swain County, NC | 14,014 | $55,019 | 6.5%/yr | 7.6% | 0.535 |
| Rabun County, GA | 17,312 | $69,357 | 7.9%/yr | 1.3% | 0.531 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jackson 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 Jackson County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Jackson County, North Carolina?
Jackson 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 $55,909, about 23% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How has median household income changed in Jackson County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Jackson County, North Carolina rose 45%, from $38,614 to $55,909. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +45% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Jackson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Jackson County, North Carolina was $53,266, up 3% from $51,810 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Jackson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Jackson County, North Carolina was $46,858. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $55,909.
What is the Gini coefficient in Jackson County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Jackson County is 0.533. 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 Jackson County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jackson County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 14% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2010, and was narrowest at 4% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,366 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 →