Mitchell County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Mitchell 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
Mitchell County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $57,009 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,263 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.3% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.7% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mitchell County is about 21% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Mitchell County (4.7%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Mitchell 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 Mitchell County, North Carolina grew by 71.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $57,009 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mitchell County
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.503 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,920 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,757 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.3% | 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 Mitchell County, it is 0.503, 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 21% more than women's income in Mitchell County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $320,705 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mitchell County, North Carolina has widened from about 6% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,381 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Mitchell County widened by 11.4 points while North Carolina's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Mitchell County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.2% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 463 people are unemployed in Mitchell County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Mitchell County is 21 minutes, about the same as in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mitchell County, North Carolina has fallen from 11.5% to 6.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.9% in 2012 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2019.
Mitchell County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Mitchell County, NC is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 14,959 residents against a local median of 18,788. Mitchell County, NC's unemployment, at 6.5%, runs 34% above the 4.8% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.7%/yr against a local median of 5.7%/yr, 19% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Mitchell County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.2% on unemployment, so Mitchell County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mitchell 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mitchell County, NC | 14,959 | $57,009 #4/6 | 4.7%/yr #6/6 | 6.5% #5/6 | 0.503 #1/6 |
| Yancey County, NC | 18,788 | $58,633 | 6.1%/yr | 7.3% | 0.518 |
| Avery County, NC | 17,672 | $63,446 | 7.5%/yr | 4.8% | 0.576 |
| Carter County, TN | 56,703 | $50,141 | 5.3%/yr | 6.2% | 0.534 |
| Unicoi County, TN | 17,742 | $52,731 | 5.1%/yr | 4.3% | 0.539 |
| McDowell County, NC | 44,809 | $57,967 | 5.7%/yr | 4.1% | 0.519 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mitchell County, North Carolina has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with North Carolina, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Mitchell County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Mitchell County, North Carolina?
Mitchell 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 $57,009, about 21% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Mitchell County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mitchell County, North Carolina rose 71%, from $33,302 to $57,009. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +71% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Mitchell County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mitchell County, North Carolina was $56,798, up 4% from $54,438 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Mitchell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mitchell County, North Carolina was $48,853. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $57,009.
Is unemployment high in Mitchell County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Mitchell County, North Carolina is 6.5%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Mitchell County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Mitchell County is 0.503. 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 Mitchell County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mitchell County, North Carolina has widened from about 6% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,381 since 2009.
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