Centre County, Pennsylvania Income Statistics
Centre 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.
-
D
Centre County Well below averageLess wealthy than 76% of counties in Pennsylvania
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Centre County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,364 | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $59,857 | $62,573 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.9% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.0% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Centre County is about 5% lower than in Pennsylvania. Income has been growing slower in Centre County (3.9%/yr) than in Pennsylvania (4.4%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Centre 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 Centre County, Pennsylvania grew by 61.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,364 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Centre County
| Metric | Centre County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.599 | 0.537 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $68,986 | $71,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $57,407 | $57,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 16.8% | 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 Centre County, it is 0.599, higher than Pennsylvania's 0.537, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 20% more than women's income in Centre County, Pennsylvania. Over a 35-year career, a 20% wage gap accumulates to roughly $405,265 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Centre County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 27% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 14% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $317 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Centre County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.3% | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 3,263 people are unemployed in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
The average commute time in Centre County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Pennsylvania.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Centre County, Pennsylvania has fallen from 5.9% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.9% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.0% in 2022.
Centre County, PA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Centre County, PA is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 158,476 residents against a local median of 37,796. The measure that sets Centre County, PA apart most is income inequality: 0.599, 21% above the local median of 0.497. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 0.085 on income inequality, so Centre County, PA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Centre County, PA has the 6th lowest income inequality 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre County, PA | 158,476 | $74,364 #1/6 | 3.9%/yr #4/6 | 4.2% #3/6 | 0.599 #6/6 |
| Clinton County, PA | 37,796 | $60,839 | 3.3%/yr | 5.6% | 0.525 |
| Mifflin County, PA | 46,041 | $65,055 | 5.6%/yr | 2.7% | 0.496 |
| Huntingdon County, PA | 43,653 | $65,635 | 4.8%/yr | 4.6% | 0.543 |
| Juniata County, PA | 23,379 | $67,134 | 4.1%/yr | 2.1% | 0.497 |
| Cameron County, PA | 4,427 | $50,531 | 2.9%/yr | 7.8% | 0.458 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Centre County, Pennsylvania has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Pennsylvania, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
How Rich Is Centre County, Pennsylvania?
Centre 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 $74,364, about 5% lower than the Pennsylvania average of $78,249.
Are incomes growing in Centre County, Pennsylvania?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Centre County, Pennsylvania rose 62%, from $45,965 to $74,364. Over the same years, income here outpaced Pennsylvania as a whole: +62% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Centre County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Centre County, Pennsylvania was $72,302, up 3% from $70,387 in 2022. The Pennsylvania median that year was $76,230.
What was the median household income in Centre County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Centre County, Pennsylvania was $62,259. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $74,364.
What is the Gini coefficient in Centre County, Pennsylvania?
The Gini coefficient in Centre County is 0.599. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Centre County, Pennsylvania?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Centre County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 27% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 14% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $317 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →