Hale County, Texas Income Statistics
Hale 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
Hale County Well below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in Texas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hale County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,270 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,917 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 1.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.4% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hale County is about 34% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing slower in Hale County (1.9%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Hale 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 Hale County, Texas grew by 50.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,270 in 2024. That's an average of about 1.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hale County
| Metric | Hale County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.590 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,454 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,213 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 19.9% | 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 Hale County, it is 0.590, 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 25% more than women's income in Hale County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $358,435 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hale County, Texas has widened from about 17% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,648 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Hale County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.1% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 767 people are unemployed in Hale County, Texas.
The average commute time in Hale County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hale County, Texas has fallen from 6.6% to 5.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.3% in 2014 and fell as low as 4.1% in 2023.
Hale County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hale County, TX is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 32,131 residents against a local median of 7,344. The measure that sets Hale County, TX apart most is income growth: 1.9%/yr, 51% below the local median of 3.9%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 5.3% against a local median of 4.3%, 23% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Hale County, TX reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.2%/yr on income growth, so Hale County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hale County, TX has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hale County, TX | 32,131 | $52,270 #5/6 | 1.9%/yr #5/6 | 5.3% #5/6 | 0.590 #4/6 |
| Lubbock County, TX | 318,883 | $64,509 | 4.0%/yr | 4.9% | 0.567 |
| Swisher County, TX | 6,937 | $37,009 | 0.8%/yr | 4.3% | 0.610 |
| Floyd County, TX | 5,216 | $58,032 | 3.9%/yr | 6.0% | 0.557 |
| Lamb County, TX | 12,828 | $61,051 | 5.0%/yr | 2.1% | 0.553 |
| Castro County, TX | 7,344 | $53,146 | 3.3%/yr | 3.7% | 0.607 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hale County, Texas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Texas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Hale County, Texas.
How Rich Is Hale County, Texas?
Hale 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 $52,270, about 34% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
How fast is household income rising in Hale County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hale County, Texas rose 50%, from $34,761 to $52,270. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Texas as a whole: +50% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Hale County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hale County, Texas was $53,208, up 5% from $50,455 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Hale County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hale County, Texas was $47,631. By 2024 it had risen 10% to $52,270.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hale County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Hale County is 0.590. 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 Hale County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hale County, Texas has widened from about 17% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,648 since 2009.
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