Vance County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Vance 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
Vance County Well below averageLess wealthy than 83% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Vance County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $50,361 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,769 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.6% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.2% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Vance County is about 30% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing faster in Vance County (5.6%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Vance 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 Vance County, North Carolina grew by 49.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $50,361 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Vance County
| Metric | Vance County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,466 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,187 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.9% | 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 Vance County, it is 0.529, 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 12% more than women's income in Vance County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 12% wage gap accumulates to roughly $184,765 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Vance County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 24% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 4% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,471 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Vance County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.2% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.8% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,597 people are unemployed in Vance County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Vance County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Vance County, North Carolina has fallen from 11.1% to 8.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.2% in 2015 and fell as low as 6.5% in 2021.
Vance County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Vance County, NC is typical in size for this group, 42,305 residents against a local median of 39,541, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Vance County, NC's unemployment, at 8.2%, runs 79% above the 4.6% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $50,361 against a local median of $64,160, 22% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Vance County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.6% on unemployment, so Vance County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Vance County, NC has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vance County, NC | 42,305 | $50,361 #6/6 | 5.6%/yr #2/6 | 8.2% #6/6 | 0.529 #1/6 |
| Granville County, NC | 60,874 | $71,064 | 4.4%/yr | 4.5% | 0.570 |
| Warren County, NC | 18,783 | $50,454 | 5.0%/yr | 7.2% | 0.563 |
| Franklin County, NC | 74,421 | $74,339 | 6.7%/yr | 4.6% | 0.542 |
| Mecklenburg County, VA | 30,516 | $56,858 | 4.7%/yr | 2.6% | 0.536 |
| Person County, NC | 39,541 | $64,160 | 5.0%/yr | 5.6% | 0.548 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Vance 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 Vance County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Vance County, North Carolina?
Vance 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 $50,361, about 30% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How has median household income changed in Vance County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Vance County, North Carolina rose 49%, from $33,747 to $50,361. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +49% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Vance County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Vance County, North Carolina was $47,609, down 2% from $48,502 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Vance County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Vance County, North Carolina was $42,046. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $50,361.
How strong is the job market in Vance County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Vance County, North Carolina is 8.2%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Vance County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Vance County is 0.529. 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 Vance County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Vance County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 24% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 4% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,471 since 2009.
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