Adams County, Pennsylvania Income Statistics
Adams 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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B
Adams County Around averageWealthier than 85% of counties in Pennsylvania
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Adams County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $83,650 | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,458 | $62,573 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.9% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.4% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Adams County is about 7% higher than in Pennsylvania. Income has been growing slower in Adams County (3.9%/yr) than in Pennsylvania (4.4%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Adams County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Pennsylvania average of 13%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Adams County, Pennsylvania grew by 52.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $83,650 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Adams County
| Metric | Adams County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.492 | 0.537 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,789 | $71,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $53,722 | $57,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.3% | 19.2% | 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 Adams County, it is 0.492, lower than Pennsylvania's 0.537, 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.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Adams County, Pennsylvania. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $422,345 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Adams County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 29% to 18% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $582 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Adams County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.7% | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 1,885 people are unemployed in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
The average commute time in Adams County is 22 minutes, about the same as in Pennsylvania.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Adams County, Pennsylvania has fallen from 5.2% to 3.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.0% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.1% in 2023.
Adams County, PA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Adams County, PA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 106,097 residents against a local median of 267,961. Nothing separates Adams County, PA 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 income growth, 10% below the local median at 3.9%/yr against 4.3%/yr. Adams County, PA 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adams County, PA | 106,097 | $83,650 #5/6 | 3.9%/yr #5/6 | 3.4% #2/6 | 0.492 #1/6 |
| Cumberland County, PA | 267,961 | $88,838 | 4.3%/yr | 3.7% | 0.515 |
| Carroll County, MD | 175,325 | $118,379 | 3.8%/yr | 3.4% | 0.516 |
| Frederick County, MD | 287,011 | $122,719 | 4.6%/yr | 3.3% | 0.515 |
| York County, PA | 462,883 | $85,271 | 4.5%/yr | 4.5% | 0.508 |
| Franklin County, PA | 157,379 | $77,330 | 4.1%/yr | 4.0% | 0.501 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Adams County, Pennsylvania has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Pennsylvania, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Adams County, Pennsylvania.
How Wealthy Is Adams County, Pennsylvania?
Adams County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $83,650, about 7% higher than the Pennsylvania average of $78,249.
Are incomes growing in Adams County, Pennsylvania?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Adams County, Pennsylvania rose 52%, from $54,872 to $83,650. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Pennsylvania as a whole: +52% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Adams County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Adams County, Pennsylvania was $80,667, up 3% from $78,304 in 2022. The Pennsylvania median that year was $76,230.
What was the median household income in Adams County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Adams County, Pennsylvania was $68,926. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $83,650.
Is it hard to find a job in Adams County, Pennsylvania?
Unemployment in Adams County, Pennsylvania is only 3.4%, well below the Pennsylvania rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Adams County, Pennsylvania?
The Gini coefficient in Adams County is 0.492. 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 Adams County, Pennsylvania?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Adams County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 29% to 18% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $582 since 2009.
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