Richmond County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Richmond 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
Richmond County Well below averageLess wealthy than 84% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Richmond County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $44,874 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,915 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.2% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.5% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Richmond County is about 38% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Richmond County (4.2%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Richmond 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 Richmond County, North Carolina grew by 53.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $44,874 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Richmond County
| Metric | Richmond County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.540 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,407 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,718 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.8% | 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 Richmond County, it is 0.540, 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 16% more than women's income in Richmond County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $234,115 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Richmond County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2015, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 4%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,129 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Richmond County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.4% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,885 people are unemployed in Richmond County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Richmond County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Richmond County, North Carolina has fallen from 15.8% to 9.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.2% in 2012 and fell as low as 8.1% in 2020.
Richmond County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Richmond County, NC is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 42,335 residents against a local median of 26,004. Richmond County, NC's unemployment, at 9.7%, runs 77% above the 5.5% 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: 4.2%/yr against a local median of 5.5%/yr, 23% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Richmond County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 8.1% on unemployment, so Richmond County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Richmond County, NC has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond County, NC | 42,335 | $44,874 #5/6 | 4.2%/yr #5/6 | 9.7% #4/6 | 0.540 #2/6 |
| Scotland County, NC | 33,590 | $45,742 | 5.5%/yr | 10.9% | 0.584 |
| Anson County, NC | 22,289 | $48,739 | 4.4%/yr | 5.5% | 0.550 |
| Montgomery County, NC | 26,004 | $56,435 | 6.3%/yr | 2.8% | 0.545 |
| Moore County, NC | 104,876 | $84,708 | 6.2%/yr | 4.5% | 0.536 |
| Marlboro County, SC | 25,963 | $34,094 | 0.8%/yr | 9.9% | 0.602 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Richmond 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 Richmond County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Richmond County, North Carolina?
Richmond 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 $44,874, about 38% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Richmond County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Richmond County, North Carolina rose 53%, from $29,277 to $44,874. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +53% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Richmond County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Richmond County, North Carolina was $43,788, up 2% from $43,101 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Richmond County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Richmond County, North Carolina was $38,893. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $44,874.
Is unemployment high in Richmond County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Richmond County, North Carolina is 9.7%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Richmond County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Richmond County is 0.540. 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 Richmond County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Richmond County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2015, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 4%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,129 since 2009.
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