Lincoln County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Lincoln 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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B
Lincoln County Around averageWealthier than 89% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lincoln County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $78,296 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $56,576 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.1% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.1% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 13.7% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lincoln County is about 8% higher than in North Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Lincoln County (6.1%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Lincoln County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the North Carolina average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lincoln County, North Carolina grew by 63.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $78,296 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lincoln County
| Metric | Lincoln County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.542 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $69,120 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $50,168 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 27.4% | 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 Lincoln County, it is 0.542, 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 38% more than women's income in Lincoln County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 38% wage gap accumulates to roughly $663,320 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lincoln County, North Carolina has widened from about 25% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2012, and was narrowest at 16% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,427 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Lincoln County widened by 2.2 points while North Carolina's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Lincoln County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.3% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 14.3% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,543 people are unemployed in Lincoln County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Lincoln County is 27 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lincoln County, North Carolina has fallen from 11.2% to 3.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.0% in 2013.
Lincoln County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lincoln County, NC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 92,729 residents against a local median of 163,556. Where Lincoln County, NC breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 30% below the local median of 4.7% at 3.3%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 6.1%/yr against a local median of 5.2%/yr, 17% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Lincoln County, NC is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 1.5% on unemployment, so Lincoln County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lincoln County, NC has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln County, NC | 92,729 | $78,296 #2/6 | 6.1%/yr #2/6 | 3.3% #1/6 | 0.542 #6/6 |
| Catawba County, NC | 163,556 | $67,947 | 5.2%/yr | 3.7% | 0.527 |
| Gaston County, NC | 234,809 | $67,093 | 5.3%/yr | 4.7% | 0.538 |
| Cleveland County, NC | 100,962 | $58,567 | 5.2%/yr | 5.2% | 0.541 |
| Alexander County, NC | 36,412 | $64,655 | 6.1%/yr | 5.0% | 0.525 |
| Mecklenburg County, NC | 1,154,528 | $87,854 | 5.0%/yr | 4.3% | 0.532 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lincoln County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than North Carolina, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lincoln County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Lincoln County, North Carolina?
Lincoln County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $78,296, about 8% higher than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lincoln County, North Carolina rose 64%, from $47,781 to $78,296. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +64% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Lincoln County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lincoln County, North Carolina was $77,680, up 2% from $75,825 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Lincoln County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lincoln County, North Carolina was $59,645. By 2024 it had risen 31% to $78,296.
How strong is the job market in Lincoln County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Lincoln County, North Carolina is only 3.3%, 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 Lincoln County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Lincoln County is 0.542. 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 Lincoln County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lincoln County, North Carolina has widened from about 25% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2012, and was narrowest at 16% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,427 since 2009.
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