Harris County, Texas Income Statistics
Harris 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.
-
C
Harris County Below averageWealthier than 81% of counties in Texas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Harris County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,984 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,737 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.7% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.9% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 12.8% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Harris County is about 5% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing slower in Harris County (3.7%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Harris County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the Texas average of 13%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Harris County, Texas grew by 48.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,984 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Harris County
| Metric | Harris County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.579 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $63,275 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $53,269 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.8% | 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 Harris County, it is 0.579, 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 19% more than women's income in Harris County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $350,210 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
The income gap between men and women in Harris County, Texas has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 16%. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,323 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Harris County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.7% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.9% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 168,786 people are unemployed in Harris County, Texas.
The average commute time in Harris County is 27 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Harris County, Texas has fallen from 7.6% to 6.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.6% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.8% in 2019.
Harris County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Harris County, TX is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 4,837,278 residents against a local median of 391,275. Harris County, TX's unemployment, at 6.7%, runs 33% above the 5.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $74,984 against a local median of $97,905, 23% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Harris County, TX reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.6% on unemployment, so Harris County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Harris County, TX has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris County, TX | 4,837,278 | $74,984 #5/6 | 3.7%/yr #5/6 | 6.7% #4/6 | 0.579 #4/6 |
| Montgomery County, TX | 684,384 | $97,905 | 4.2%/yr | 4.5% | 0.564 |
| Fort Bend County, TX | 893,669 | $114,494 | 2.9%/yr | 5.0% | 0.574 |
| Waller County, TX | 61,552 | $83,139 | 5.6%/yr | 6.8% | 0.606 |
| Liberty County, TX | 103,380 | $67,670 | 4.0%/yr | 7.1% | 0.630 |
| Brazoria County, TX | 391,275 | $98,470 | 3.9%/yr | 4.7% | 0.569 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Harris County, Texas has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Texas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Harris County, Texas.
How Rich Is Harris County, Texas?
Harris 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 $74,984, about 5% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
How fast is household income rising in Harris County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Harris County, Texas rose 48%, from $50,582 to $74,984. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Texas as a whole: +48% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Harris County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Harris County, Texas was $73,274, up 3% from $70,921 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Harris County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Harris County, Texas was $63,372. By 2024 it had risen 18% to $74,984.
Is it hard to find a job in Harris County, Texas?
Unemployment in Harris County, Texas is 6.7%, well above the Texas rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Harris County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Harris County is 0.579. 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 Harris County, Texas?
The income gap between men and women in Harris County, Texas has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 16%. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,323 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →