Hamilton County, Tennessee Income Statistics
Hamilton 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
Hamilton County Below averageWealthier than 88% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hamilton County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $76,240 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,722 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.6% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.2% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.5% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hamilton County is about 9% higher than in Tennessee. Income has been growing faster in Hamilton County (5.6%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Hamilton County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Tennessee average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Hamilton County, Tennessee grew by 68.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $76,240 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hamilton County
| Metric | Hamilton County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.533 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $67,423 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $52,947 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.5% | 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 Hamilton County, it is 0.533, lower than Tennessee's 0.542, 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 27% more than women's income in Hamilton County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $506,660 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hamilton County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 27% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2011, and was narrowest at 19% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,751 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Hamilton County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 14.3% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 8,553 people are unemployed in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Hamilton County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hamilton County, Tennessee has fallen from 9.6% to 4.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 4.2% in 2023.
Hamilton County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hamilton County, TN is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 375,392 residents against a local median of 68,548. Hamilton County, TN's income growth, at 5.6%/yr, runs 25% above the 4.5%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.4% against a local median of 5.2%, 16% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Hamilton County, TN is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 2.8%/yr on income growth, so Hamilton County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hamilton County, TN has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton County, TN | 375,392 | $76,240 #1/6 | 5.6%/yr #2/6 | 4.4% #3/6 | 0.533 #2/6 |
| Catoosa County, GA | 68,548 | $74,605 | 4.5%/yr | 4.3% | 0.531 |
| Bradley County, TN | 110,691 | $67,551 | 5.6%/yr | 6.6% | 0.540 |
| Sequatchie County, TN | 16,809 | $58,634 | 3.2%/yr | 6.6% | 0.585 |
| Bledsoe County, TN | 15,032 | $54,853 | 4.5%/yr | 1.8% | 0.572 |
| Whitfield County, GA | 103,598 | $66,797 | 6.0%/yr | 5.2% | 0.539 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hamilton County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Tennessee, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Hamilton County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Hamilton County, Tennessee?
Hamilton 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 $76,240, about 9% higher than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
How has median household income changed in Hamilton County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hamilton County, Tennessee rose 68%, from $45,385 to $76,240. Over the same years, income here outpaced Tennessee as a whole: +68% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Hamilton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hamilton County, Tennessee was $73,108, up 5% from $69,511 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Hamilton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hamilton County, Tennessee was $56,731. By 2024 it had risen 34% to $76,240.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hamilton County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Hamilton County is 0.533. 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 Hamilton County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hamilton County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 27% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2011, and was narrowest at 19% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,751 since 2009.
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