Wilson County, North Carolina Income Statistics
Wilson 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
Wilson County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wilson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,688 | $72,438 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,422 | $54,489 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.8% | 11.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.2% | 10.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wilson County is about 22% lower than in North Carolina. Income has been growing slower in Wilson County (4.4%/yr) than in North Carolina (5.2%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Wilson 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 Wilson County, North Carolina grew by 46.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,688 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wilson County
| Metric | Wilson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.548 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,938 | $63,136 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,133 | $52,579 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.1% | 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 Wilson County, it is 0.548, about the same as North Carolina's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 28% more than women's income in Wilson County, North Carolina. Over a 35-year career, a 28% wage gap accumulates to roughly $448,175 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wilson County, North Carolina has widened from about 19% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,472 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Wilson County widened by 3.1 points while North Carolina's narrowed by 3.0 points.
Employment
| Metric | Wilson County | North Carolina Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.7% | 16.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 2,049 people are unemployed in Wilson County, North Carolina.
The average commute time in Wilson County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in North Carolina.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wilson County, North Carolina has fallen from 12.6% to 5.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.8% in 2012.
Wilson County, NC Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wilson County, NC is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 79,278 residents against a local median of 96,212. Nothing separates Wilson County, NC sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 13% above the local median at 5.6% against 4.9%. Wilson 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilson County, NC | 79,278 | $56,688 #4/6 | 4.4%/yr #5/6 | 5.6% #4/6 | 0.548 #5/6 |
| Nash County, NC | 96,212 | $64,380 | 4.9%/yr | 4.9% | 0.518 |
| Greene County, NC | 20,465 | $52,621 | 4.0%/yr | 5.6% | 0.580 |
| Wayne County, NC | 118,630 | $59,780 | 5.0%/yr | 4.9% | 0.530 |
| Edgecombe County, NC | 48,736 | $51,050 | 5.8%/yr | 8.7% | 0.529 |
| Johnston County, NC | 234,262 | $84,644 | 6.2%/yr | 3.8% | 0.532 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wilson 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 Wilson County, North Carolina.
How Rich Is Wilson County, North Carolina?
Wilson 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 $56,688, about 22% lower than the North Carolina average of $72,438.
How fast is household income rising in Wilson County, North Carolina?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wilson County, North Carolina rose 47%, from $38,590 to $56,688. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Carolina as a whole: +47% against +61%.
What was the median household income in Wilson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wilson County, North Carolina was $51,945, up 4% from $49,792 in 2022. The North Carolina median that year was $69,937.
What was the median household income in Wilson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wilson County, North Carolina was $44,439. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $56,688.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wilson County, North Carolina?
The Gini coefficient in Wilson County is 0.548. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Wilson County, North Carolina?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wilson County, North Carolina has widened from about 19% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,472 since 2009.
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