Washington County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Washington 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
Washington County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Washington County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $43,154 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,700 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.7% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.8% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Washington County is about 40% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Washington County (4.1%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Washington 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 Washington County, North Carolina grew by 32.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $43,154 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Washington County
| Metric | Washington County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.576 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,437 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,043 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.3% | 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 Washington County, it is 0.576, 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 11% more than women's income in Washington County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 11% wage gap accumulates to roughly $188,790 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Washington County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 18% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,234 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Washington County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 12.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.1% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 533 people are unemployed in Washington County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Washington County is 21 minutes, about the same as in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Washington County, North Carolina has fallen from 15.0% to 12.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 7.2% in 2020.
Washington County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Washington County, NC is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 10,812 residents against a local median of 13,836. Washington County, NC's unemployment, at 12.9%, runs 227% above the 3.9% 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: $43,154 against a local median of $56,822, 24% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Washington County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 2.3% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Washington County, NC, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Washington 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington County, NC | 10,812 | $43,154 #5/6 | 4.1%/yr #5/6 | 12.9% #6/6 | 0.576 #6/6 |
| Chowan County, NC | 13,836 | $56,822 | 4.3%/yr | 4.1% | 0.522 |
| Perquimans County, NC | 13,244 | $69,399 | 5.5%/yr | 3.6% | 0.534 |
| Tyrrell County, NC | 3,423 | $40,922 | 3.8%/yr | 2.8% | 0.522 |
| Beaufort County, NC | 44,493 | $58,253 | 4.5%/yr | 3.9% | 0.526 |
| Bertie County, NC | 17,166 | $49,724 | 5.9%/yr | 5.1% | 0.558 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Washington 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 Washington County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Washington County, North Carolina?
Washington 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 $43,154, about 40% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
Are incomes growing in Washington County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Washington County, North Carolina rose 32%, from $32,688 to $43,154. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +32% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Washington County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Washington County, North Carolina was $42,892, up 10% from $38,963 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Washington County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Washington County, North Carolina was $31,488. By 2024 it had risen 37% to $43,154.
How strong is the job market in Washington County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Washington County, North Carolina is 12.9%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Washington County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Washington County is 0.576. 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 Washington County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Washington County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 18% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,234 since 2009.
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