Watauga County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Watauga 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
Watauga County Well below averageLess wealthy than 78% of counties in North Carolina
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Watauga County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,022 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,235 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.5% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.6% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.3% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Watauga County is about 28% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Watauga County (3.5%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Watauga 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 Watauga County, North Carolina grew by 55.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,022 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Watauga County
| Metric | Watauga County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.620 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,301 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,293 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.2% | 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 Watauga County, it is 0.620, 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 21% more than women's income in Watauga County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $350,280 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Watauga County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 3% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,326 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Watauga County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.4% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 2,285 people are unemployed in Watauga County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Watauga County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Watauga County, North Carolina has fallen from 8.7% to 7.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.8% in 2014 and fell as low as 7.4% in 2018.
Watauga County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Watauga County, NC is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 55,114 residents against a local median of 26,946. The measure that sets Watauga County, NC apart most is unemployment: 7.9%, 63% above the local median of 4.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.5%/yr against a local median of 5.4%/yr, 35% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Watauga County, NC reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.1% on unemployment, so Watauga County, NC sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Watauga 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watauga County, NC | 55,114 | $52,022 #5/6 | 3.5%/yr #6/6 | 7.9% #6/6 | 0.620 #6/6 |
| Johnson County, TN | 18,196 | $53,642 | 7.5%/yr | 3.2% | 0.569 |
| Avery County, NC | 17,672 | $63,446 | 7.5%/yr | 4.8% | 0.576 |
| Ashe County, NC | 26,946 | $57,366 | 5.4%/yr | 4.8% | 0.512 |
| Caldwell County, NC | 80,517 | $56,350 | 5.3%/yr | 5.0% | 0.521 |
| Carter County, TN | 56,703 | $50,141 | 5.3%/yr | 6.2% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Watauga 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 Watauga County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Watauga County, North Carolina?
Watauga 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 $52,022, about 28% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How has median household income changed in Watauga County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Watauga County, North Carolina rose 55%, from $33,538 to $52,022. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +55% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Watauga County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Watauga County, North Carolina was $51,879, up 4% from $50,027 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Watauga County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Watauga County, North Carolina was $46,593. By 2024 it had risen 12% to $52,022.
Is it hard to find a job in Watauga County, North Carolina?
Unemployment in Watauga County, North Carolina is 7.9%, well above the North Carolina rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Watauga County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Watauga County is 0.620. 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 Watauga County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Watauga County, North Carolina has narrowed from about 23% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 3% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,326 since 2009.
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