Cotton County, Oklahoma Income Statistics
Cotton 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
Cotton County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Cotton County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $57,415 | $65,606 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,694 | $51,752 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.2% | 3.9% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.5% | 9.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.3% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Cotton County is about 12% lower than in Oklahoma. Income has been growing slower in Cotton County (2.2%/yr) than in Oklahoma (3.9%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Cotton County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Oklahoma average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Cotton County, Oklahoma grew by 39.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $57,415 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Cotton County
| Metric | Cotton County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.551 | 0.553 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,428 | $60,162 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,366 | $46,815 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.9% | 22.2% | 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 Cotton County, it is 0.551, about the same as Oklahoma's 0.553, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 33% more than women's income in Cotton County, Oklahoma. Over a 35-year career, a 33% wage gap accumulates to roughly $492,170 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cotton County, Oklahoma has widened from about 18% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,585 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Cotton County widened by 6.8 points while Oklahoma's narrowed by 2.1 points.
Employment
| Metric | Cotton County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.5% | 9.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 85 people are unemployed in Cotton County, Oklahoma.
The average commute time in Cotton County is 30 minutes, longer than the 18 minutes in Oklahoma.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Cotton County, Oklahoma has fallen from 4.6% to 3.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.3% in 2016 and fell as low as 2.2% in 2023.
Cotton County, OK Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Cotton County, OK is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 5,485 residents against a local median of 43,550. Cotton County, OK's income growth, at 2.2%/yr, runs 49% below the 4.4%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.5% against a local median of 5.2%, 34% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Cotton County, OK is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.5%/yr on income growth, so Cotton County, OK sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Cotton County, OK has the 5th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cotton County, OK | 5,485 | $57,415 #5/6 | 2.2%/yr #5/6 | 3.5% #3/6 | 0.551 #3/6 |
| Comanche County, OK | 121,825 | $61,120 | 3.2%/yr | 5.9% | 0.549 |
| Wichita County, TX | 129,995 | $64,006 | 4.4%/yr | 3.4% | 0.554 |
| Clay County, TX | 10,495 | $80,953 | 7.6%/yr | 2.0% | 0.530 |
| Stephens County, OK | 43,550 | $61,888 | 4.5%/yr | 5.2% | 0.557 |
| Tillman County, OK | 6,910 | $44,849 | 2.1%/yr | 5.8% | 0.555 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cotton County, Oklahoma has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Oklahoma, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Cotton County, Oklahoma.
How Rich Is Cotton County, Oklahoma?
Cotton 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 $57,415, about 12% lower than the Oklahoma average of $65,606.
How has median household income changed in Cotton County, Oklahoma?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Cotton County, Oklahoma rose 40%, from $41,050 to $57,415. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Oklahoma as a whole: +40% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Cotton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Cotton County, Oklahoma was $60,120, about the same as in 2022. The Oklahoma median that year was $63,960.
What was the median household income in Cotton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Cotton County, Oklahoma was $49,424. By 2024 it had risen 16% to $57,415.
Is unemployment high in Cotton County, Oklahoma?
Unemployment in Cotton County, Oklahoma is only 3.5%, well below the Oklahoma rate of 4.9%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Cotton County, Oklahoma?
The Gini coefficient in Cotton County is 0.551. 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 Cotton County, Oklahoma?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cotton County, Oklahoma has widened from about 18% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,585 since 2009.
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