Sampson County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Sampson 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
Sampson County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sampson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,596 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,561 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.3% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.8% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sampson County is about 27% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Sampson County (4.7%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Sampson 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 Sampson County, North Carolina grew by 51.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,596 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sampson County
| Metric | Sampson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.538 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,212 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,377 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.5% | 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 Sampson County, it is 0.538, 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 23% more than women's income in Sampson County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $344,225 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sampson County, North Carolina has widened from about 15% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,972 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Sampson County widened by 3.7 points while North Carolina's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Sampson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.9% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,378 people are unemployed in Sampson County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Sampson County is 22 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sampson County, North Carolina has fallen from 10.6% to 5.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.0% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.2% in 2023.
Sampson County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sampson County, NC is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 59,467 residents against a local median of 118,630. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Sampson County, NC an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 12% below the local median at $52,596 against $59,780. Sampson County, NC has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampson County, NC | 59,467 | $52,596 #5/6 | 4.7%/yr #4/6 | 5.2% #3/6 | 0.538 #5/6 |
| Bladen County, NC | 29,571 | $41,756 | 4.1%/yr | 5.4% | 0.562 |
| Duplin County, NC | 49,292 | $55,498 | 5.8%/yr | 5.3% | 0.515 |
| Cumberland County, NC | 338,542 | $61,555 | 4.1%/yr | 6.1% | 0.535 |
| Wayne County, NC | 118,630 | $59,780 | 5.0%/yr | 4.9% | 0.530 |
| Johnston County, NC | 234,262 | $84,644 | 6.2%/yr | 3.8% | 0.532 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sampson 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 Sampson County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Sampson County, North Carolina?
Sampson 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 $52,596, about 27% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How has median household income changed in Sampson County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sampson County, North Carolina rose 51%, from $34,756 to $52,596. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +51% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Sampson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sampson County, North Carolina was $52,876, up 6% from $49,965 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Sampson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sampson County, North Carolina was $43,430. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $52,596.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sampson County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Sampson County is 0.538. 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 Sampson County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sampson County, North Carolina has widened from about 15% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 19% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,972 since 2009.
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