Somerset County, Pennsylvania Income Statistics
Somerset 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
Somerset County Well below averageLess wealthy than 83% of counties in Pennsylvania
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Somerset County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $61,709 | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,336 | $62,573 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.7% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.0% | 11.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Somerset County is about 21% lower than in Pennsylvania. Income has been growing slower in Somerset County (3.9%/yr) than in Pennsylvania (4.4%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Somerset 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 Somerset County, Pennsylvania grew by 60.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $61,709 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Somerset County
| Metric | Somerset County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.519 | 0.537 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,754 | $71,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,677 | $57,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 19.5% | 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 Somerset County, it is 0.519, 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 24% more than women's income in Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $387,695 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Somerset County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 25% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,986 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Somerset County | Pennsylvania Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.5% | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 1,674 people are unemployed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
The average commute time in Somerset County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Pennsylvania.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Somerset County, Pennsylvania has fallen from 7.5% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.8% in 2020.
Somerset County, PA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Somerset County, PA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 72,817 residents against a local median of 47,513. Somerset County, PA sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 14% below the local median at 3.9%/yr against 4.6%/yr. Somerset County, PA has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Somerset County, PA | 72,817 | $61,709 #4/6 | 3.9%/yr #4/6 | 4.9% #4/6 | 0.519 #4/6 |
| Allegany County, MD | 67,200 | $59,649 | 4.6%/yr | 5.0% | 0.556 |
| Garrett County, MD | 28,615 | $67,609 | 4.8%/yr | 4.4% | 0.516 |
| Bedford County, PA | 47,513 | $59,993 | 3.1%/yr | 3.9% | 0.514 |
| Westmoreland County, PA | 352,391 | $74,121 | 3.9%/yr | 4.8% | 0.513 |
| Mineral County, WV | 26,854 | $70,287 | 8.8%/yr | 6.5% | 0.520 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Somerset 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 Somerset County, Pennsylvania.
How Rich Is Somerset County, Pennsylvania?
Somerset 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 $61,709, about 21% lower than the Pennsylvania average of $78,249.
How has median household income changed in Somerset County, Pennsylvania?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Somerset County, Pennsylvania rose 61%, from $38,357 to $61,709. Over the same years, income here outpaced Pennsylvania as a whole: +61% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Somerset County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Somerset County, Pennsylvania was $59,228, up 3% from $57,706 in 2022. The Pennsylvania median that year was $76,230.
What was the median household income in Somerset County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Somerset County, Pennsylvania was $51,521. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $61,709.
What is the Gini coefficient in Somerset County, Pennsylvania?
The Gini coefficient in Somerset County is 0.519. 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 Somerset County, Pennsylvania?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Somerset County, Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 25% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,986 since 2009.
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