Gaines County, Texas Income Statistics
Gaines 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
Gaines County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Gaines County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $73,709 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $53,176 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.8% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.4% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Gaines County is about 7% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing slower in Gaines County (3.0%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Gaines County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Texas average of 13%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Gaines County, Texas grew by 55.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $73,709 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Gaines County
| Metric | Gaines County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.596 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,605 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,264 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 33.6% | 19.8% | 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 Gaines County, it is 0.596, higher than Texas's 0.570, 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 50% more than women's income in Gaines County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 50% wage gap accumulates to roughly $746,935 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Gaines County, Texas has widened from about 33% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 53% in 2023, and was narrowest at 27% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,477 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Gaines County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.4% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.0% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 227 people are unemployed in Gaines County, Texas.
The average commute time in Gaines County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Gaines County, Texas has fallen from 3.3% to 2.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.8% in 2013 and fell as low as 2.2% in 2023.
Gaines County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Gaines County, TX is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 22,232 residents against a local median of 12,134. The measure that sets Gaines County, TX apart most is unemployment: 2.4%, 62% below the local median of 6.4%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.0%/yr against a local median of 1.8%/yr, 62% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Gaines County, TX is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 3.5% on unemployment, so Gaines County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Gaines County, TX has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaines County, TX | 22,232 | $73,709 #2/6 | 3.0%/yr #3/6 | 2.4% #1/6 | 0.596 #4/6 |
| Andrews County, TX | 18,610 | $72,492 | 0.8%/yr | 3.3% | 0.579 |
| Yoakum County, TX | 7,571 | $86,598 | 5.4%/yr | 6.9% | 0.578 |
| Terry County, TX | 11,629 | $43,966 | 1.3%/yr | 4.5% | 0.591 |
| Dawson County, TX | 12,134 | $56,124 | 3.8%/yr | 6.4% | 0.644 |
| Lea County, NM | 73,733 | $67,016 | 1.8%/yr | 6.9% | 0.619 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Gaines County, Texas has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Texas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Gaines County, Texas.
How Rich Is Gaines County, Texas?
Gaines 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 $73,709, about 7% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
Are incomes growing in Gaines County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Gaines County, Texas rose 56%, from $47,302 to $73,709. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Texas as a whole: +56% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Gaines County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Gaines County, Texas was $77,694, up 6% from $73,221 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Gaines County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Gaines County, Texas was $63,681. By 2024 it had risen 16% to $73,709.
Is unemployment high in Gaines County, Texas?
Unemployment in Gaines County, Texas is only 2.4%, well below the Texas rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Gaines County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Gaines County is 0.596. 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 Gaines County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Gaines County, Texas has widened from about 33% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 53% in 2023, and was narrowest at 27% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,477 since 2009.
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