Pennsylvania Income Statistics
Pennsylvania Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a state's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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B
Pennsylvania Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Wealthiest and Least Wealthy Counties in Pennsylvania
- Chester County (125% of U.S. avg)
- Montgomery County (122% of U.S. avg)
- Bucks County (120% of U.S. avg)
- Forest County (55% of U.S. avg)
- Union County (85% of U.S. avg)
- Huntingdon County (86% of U.S. avg)
Ranked by the Map AI Wealth Index, which combines income, employment, and income inequality metrics.
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Pennsylvania | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $78,249 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $62,573 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Pennsylvania is about 3% lower than in US. Income has been growing slower in Pennsylvania (4.4%/yr) than in US (4.8%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Pennsylvania earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the US average of 14%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Pennsylvania grew by 57.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $78,249 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Pennsylvania
| Metric | Pennsylvania | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.537 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $71,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $57,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 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 Pennsylvania, it is 0.537, lower than 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 Pennsylvania. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $480,585 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 25% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,881 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Pennsylvania | US Average |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 351,236 people are unemployed in Pennsylvania.
The average commute time in Pennsylvania is 22 minutes, about the same as in US.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Pennsylvania has fallen from 7.9% to 5.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.2% in 2023.
Pennsylvania Wealth Compared With Nearby States
Pennsylvania is the 2nd largest of the 6 states compared here, 13,004,688 residents against a local median of 6,204,886. Where Pennsylvania breaks from the states next to it is median household income, sitting 25% below the local median of $103,817 at $78,249. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 5.2% against a local median of 6.3%, 17% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Pennsylvania is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The states themselves spread $24,811 on median household income, so Pennsylvania sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Pennsylvania has the 6th highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | 13,004,688 | $78,249 #6/6 | 4.4%/yr #3/6 | 5.2% #3/6 | 0.537 #4/6 |
| District of Columbia | 678,314 | $110,571 | 5.3%/yr | 6.3% | 0.501 |
| Maryland | 6,204,886 | $103,916 | 4.0%/yr | 4.8% | 0.534 |
| New York | 19,748,855 | $86,556 | 4.5%/yr | 6.4% | 0.557 |
| Delaware | 1,017,061 | $85,760 | 4.3%/yr | 5.1% | 0.525 |
| New Jersey | 9,334,304 | $103,817 | 4.4%/yr | 6.3% | 0.544 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pennsylvania has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Pennsylvania.
How Rich Is Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania 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 $78,249, about 3% lower than the US average of $80,455.
How fast is household income rising in Pennsylvania?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Pennsylvania rose 57%, from $49,723 to $78,249. Over the same years, income here kept pace with the U.S. as a whole: +57% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Pennsylvania in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Pennsylvania was $76,230, up 4% from $73,302 in 2022. The US median that year was $78,147.
What was the median household income in Pennsylvania in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Pennsylvania was $63,958. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $78,249.
What is the Gini coefficient in Pennsylvania?
The Gini coefficient in Pennsylvania is 0.537. 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 Pennsylvania?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pennsylvania has narrowed from about 25% to 19% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,881 since 2009.
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