Wheeler County, Oregon Income Statistics
Wheeler 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
Wheeler County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Oregon
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,900 | $83,617 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,992 | $63,212 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.4% | 5.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.8% | 14.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.8% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wheeler County is about 34% lower than in Oregon. Income has been growing faster in Wheeler County (6.4%/yr) than in Oregon (5.7%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Wheeler County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Oregon average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Wheeler County, Oregon grew by 70.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,901 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wheeler County
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.510 | 0.538 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $60,555 | $71,900 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $65,000 | $60,417 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -7.3% | 16.0% | 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 Wheeler County, it is 0.510, lower than Oregon's 0.538, 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.
Women's income is about 7% more than men's income in Wheeler County, Oregon. Over a 35-year career, a 7% wage gap accumulates to roughly $155,575 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wheeler County, Oregon has narrowed from about 21% to -7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $13,000 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wheeler County | Oregon Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.6% | 5.3% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 19.9% | 19.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 16 people are unemployed in Wheeler County, Oregon.
The average commute time in Wheeler County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Oregon.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wheeler County, Oregon has fallen from 7.3% to 2.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.5% in 2016.
Wheeler County, OR Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wheeler County, OR is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 1,484 residents against a local median of 7,208. The measure that sets Wheeler County, OR apart most is income growth: 6.4%/yr, 27% above the local median of 5.1%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $54,901 against a local median of $65,740, 16% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Wheeler County, OR is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.4%/yr on income growth, so Wheeler County, OR sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wheeler County, OR has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheeler County, OR | 1,484 | $54,901 #6/6 | 6.4%/yr #3/6 | 2.6% #3/6 | 0.510 #2/6 |
| Crook County, OR | 26,277 | $82,119 | 9.6%/yr | 5.9% | 0.515 |
| Gilliam County, OR | 1,969 | $65,740 | 6.7%/yr | 2.8% | 0.534 |
| Morrow County, OR | 12,300 | $76,057 | 4.2%/yr | 2.4% | 0.540 |
| Sherman County, OR | 1,937 | $60,469 | 4.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.538 |
| Grant County, OR | 7,208 | $59,189 | 5.1%/yr | 5.2% | 0.505 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wheeler County, Oregon has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Oregon, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Wheeler County, Oregon.
How Rich Is Wheeler County, Oregon?
Wheeler 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 $54,901, about 34% lower than the Oregon average of $83,617.
Are incomes growing in Wheeler County, Oregon?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wheeler County, Oregon rose 70%, from $32,222 to $54,901. Over the same years, income here kept pace with Oregon as a whole: +70% against +71%.
What was the median household income in Wheeler County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wheeler County, Oregon was $50,539, down 2% from $51,413 in 2022. The Oregon median that year was $80,917.
What was the median household income in Wheeler County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wheeler County, Oregon was $45,463. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $54,901.
How strong is the job market in Wheeler County, Oregon?
Unemployment in Wheeler County, Oregon is only 2.6%, well below the Oregon rate of 5.3%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wheeler County, Oregon?
The Gini coefficient in Wheeler County is 0.510. 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 Wheeler County, Oregon?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wheeler County, Oregon has narrowed from about 21% to -7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $13,000 since 2009.
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