Orange County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Orange 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
Orange County Around averageWealthier than 94% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $88,923 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $70,961 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 18.1% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 20.5% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Orange County is about 23% higher than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Orange County (4.8%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 18% of adults in Orange 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 Orange County, North Carolina grew by 78.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $88,923 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Orange County
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.586 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $80,164 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $69,056 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.9% | 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 Orange County, it is 0.586, 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 16% more than women's income in Orange County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $388,780 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Orange County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 22% to 14% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,479 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Orange County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 26.8% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 2,818 people are unemployed in Orange County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Orange County is 21 minutes, about the same as in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Orange County, North Carolina has fallen from 6.4% to 3.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.5% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.5% in 2019.
Orange County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Orange County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 149,658 residents against a local median of 80,150. The measure that sets Orange County, NC apart most is median household income: $88,923, 34% above the local median of $66,483. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.6% against a local median of 5.1%, 28% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Orange County, NC is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread $34,032 on median household income, so Orange County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Orange County, NC has the 2nd highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orange County, NC | 149,658 | $88,923 #2/6 | 4.8%/yr #6/6 | 3.6% #2/6 | 0.586 #6/6 |
| Durham County, NC | 331,707 | $84,826 | 5.7%/yr | 3.9% | 0.529 |
| Alamance County, NC | 176,834 | $66,483 | 5.6%/yr | 5.1% | 0.540 |
| Person County, NC | 39,541 | $64,160 | 5.0%/yr | 5.6% | 0.548 |
| Chatham County, NC | 80,150 | $93,685 | 6.1%/yr | 2.9% | 0.538 |
| Caswell County, NC | 22,375 | $59,654 | 5.9%/yr | 5.1% | 0.549 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Orange 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 Orange County, North Carolina.
How Wealthy Is Orange County, North Carolina?
Orange 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 $88,923, about 23% higher than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How has median household income changed in Orange County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Orange County, North Carolina rose 78%, from $49,827 to $88,923. Over the same years, income here outpaced North Carolina as a whole: +78% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Orange County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Orange County, North Carolina was $87,887, up 3% from $85,442 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Orange County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Orange County, North Carolina was $74,769. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $88,923.
How many people earn six figures in Orange County, North Carolina?
Yes. 18% of adults in Orange County, North Carolina earn $100,000 or more a year (about 1 in 6), against 12% (about 1 in 8) in North Carolina. 21% of households have a combined income of $200,000 or more, compared with 10% in North Carolina.
What is the Gini coefficient in Orange County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Orange County is 0.586. 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 Orange County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Orange County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 22% to 14% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,479 since 2009.
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