Lamar County, Texas Income Statistics
Lamar 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
Lamar County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lamar County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $62,344 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,960 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.8% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.1% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lamar County is about 21% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing faster in Lamar County (5.6%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Lamar 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 Lamar County, Texas grew by 67.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $62,344 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lamar County
| Metric | Lamar County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.546 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,191 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,802 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.6% | 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 Lamar County, it is 0.546, lower than Texas's 0.570, 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 26% more than women's income in Lamar County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $398,615 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lamar County, Texas has narrowed from about 33% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,227 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lamar County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.0% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 967 people are unemployed in Lamar County, Texas.
The average commute time in Lamar County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lamar County, Texas has fallen from 6.8% to 4.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.5% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.3% in 2021.
Lamar County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lamar County, TX is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 50,669 residents against a local median of 14,297. Nothing separates Lamar County, TX sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 8% below the local median at $62,344 against $68,040. Lamar County, TX has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamar County, TX | 50,669 | $62,344 #4/6 | 5.6%/yr #3/6 | 4.0% #3/6 | 0.546 #3/6 |
| Delta County, TX | 5,438 | $68,040 | 7.1%/yr | 4.3% | 0.498 |
| Choctaw County, OK | 14,297 | $44,101 | 4.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.556 |
| Hopkins County, TX | 37,784 | $69,823 | 5.5%/yr | 4.0% | 0.541 |
| Red River County, TX | 11,611 | $48,038 | 4.1%/yr | 2.0% | 0.559 |
| Fannin County, TX | 37,326 | $71,410 | 5.8%/yr | 5.0% | 0.574 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lamar 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 Lamar County, Texas.
How Rich Is Lamar County, Texas?
Lamar 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 $62,344, about 21% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
How has median household income changed in Lamar County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lamar County, Texas rose 68%, from $37,213 to $62,344. Over the same years, income here outpaced Texas as a whole: +68% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Lamar County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lamar County, Texas was $61,391, up 7% from $57,552 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Lamar County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lamar County, Texas was $47,861. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $62,344.
Is unemployment high in Lamar County, Texas?
Unemployment in Lamar County, Texas is only 4.0%, 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 Lamar County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Lamar County is 0.546. 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 Lamar County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lamar County, Texas has narrowed from about 33% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,227 since 2009.
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