Carbon County, Pennsylvania Income Statistics
Carbon 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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C
Carbon County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Carbon County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,568 | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $53,129 | $62,573 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.6% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.0% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.1% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Carbon County is about 14% lower than in Pennsylvania. Income has been growing slower in Carbon County (3.6%/yr) than in Pennsylvania (4.4%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Carbon 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 Carbon County, Pennsylvania grew by 42.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,568 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Carbon County
| Metric | Carbon County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.507 | 0.537 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,914 | $71,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,309 | $57,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.4% | 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 Carbon County, it is 0.507, 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 26% more than women's income in Carbon County, Pennsylvania. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $441,175 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carbon County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 27% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013, and was narrowest at 16% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,108 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Carbon County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.1% | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 2,483 people are unemployed in Carbon County, Pennsylvania.
The average commute time in Carbon County is 30 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Pennsylvania.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Carbon County, Pennsylvania has fallen from 8.8% to 7.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.1% in 2020.
Carbon County, PA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Carbon County, PA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 65,382 residents against a local median of 318,250. Where Carbon County, PA breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 29% above the local median of 5.8% at 7.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.6%/yr against a local median of 4.5%/yr, 20% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Carbon County, PA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.3% on unemployment, so Carbon County, PA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Carbon County, PA 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carbon County, PA | 65,382 | $67,568 #4/6 | 3.6%/yr #6/6 | 7.5% #6/6 | 0.507 #1/6 |
| Lehigh County, PA | 378,708 | $80,478 | 4.2%/yr | 5.9% | 0.535 |
| Luzerne County, PA | 326,964 | $64,503 | 4.1%/yr | 5.8% | 0.530 |
| Monroe County, PA | 167,515 | $83,939 | 4.5%/yr | 6.9% | 0.549 |
| Northampton County, PA | 318,250 | $90,012 | 4.5%/yr | 4.6% | 0.529 |
| Lackawanna County, PA | 216,127 | $66,702 | 4.6%/yr | 4.9% | 0.537 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Carbon County, Pennsylvania has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Pennsylvania, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Carbon County, Pennsylvania.
How Rich Is Carbon County, Pennsylvania?
Carbon County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $67,568, about 14% lower than the Pennsylvania average of $78,249.
How fast is household income rising in Carbon County, Pennsylvania?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Carbon County, Pennsylvania rose 43%, from $47,364 to $67,568. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Pennsylvania as a whole: +43% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Carbon County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Carbon County, Pennsylvania was $67,403, up 5% from $64,073 in 2022. The Pennsylvania median that year was $76,230.
What was the median household income in Carbon County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Carbon County, Pennsylvania was $58,201. By 2024 it had risen 16% to $67,568.
Is unemployment high in Carbon County, Pennsylvania?
Unemployment in Carbon County, Pennsylvania is 7.5%, well above the Pennsylvania rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Carbon County, Pennsylvania?
The Gini coefficient in Carbon County is 0.507. 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 Carbon County, Pennsylvania?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Carbon County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 27% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2013, and was narrowest at 16% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,108 since 2009.
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