Nueces County, Texas Income Statistics
Nueces 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
Nueces County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Nueces County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,549 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,425 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.3% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.2% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.0% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Nueces County is about 14% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing slower in Nueces County (3.3%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Nueces 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 Nueces County, Texas grew by 59.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,549 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Nueces County
| Metric | Nueces County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.569 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $60,449 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,274 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.1% | 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 Nueces County, it is 0.569, about the same as Texas's 0.570, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 34% more than women's income in Nueces County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 34% wage gap accumulates to roughly $531,125 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Nueces County, Texas has narrowed from about 30% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2016, and was narrowest at 24% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,196 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Nueces County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 8,702 people are unemployed in Nueces County, Texas.
The average commute time in Nueces County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Nueces County, Texas has fallen from 7.9% to 5.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.0% in 2013.
Nueces County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Nueces County, TX is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 351,782 residents against a local median of 30,579. Nueces County, TX sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 13% above the local median at 5.1% against 4.5%. Nueces 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces County, TX | 351,782 | $67,549 #3/6 | 3.3%/yr #4/6 | 5.1% #4/6 | 0.569 #3/6 |
| San Patricio County, TX | 69,985 | $68,913 | 3.3%/yr | 4.5% | 0.576 |
| Kleberg County, TX | 30,579 | $62,665 | 5.3%/yr | 7.5% | 0.597 |
| Jim Wells County, TX | 38,850 | $51,697 | 2.3%/yr | 6.1% | 0.596 |
| Aransas County, TX | 24,876 | $69,093 | 5.7%/yr | 4.1% | 0.541 |
| Refugio County, TX | 6,707 | $60,343 | 2.4%/yr | 4.5% | 0.547 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Nueces 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 Nueces County, Texas.
How Rich Is Nueces County, Texas?
Nueces 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 $67,549, about 14% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
Are incomes growing in Nueces County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Nueces County, Texas rose 59%, from $42,450 to $67,549. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Texas as a whole: +59% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Nueces County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Nueces County, Texas was $66,736, up 3% from $64,528 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Nueces County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Nueces County, Texas was $57,175. By 2024 it had risen 18% to $67,549.
What is the Gini coefficient in Nueces County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Nueces County is 0.569. 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 Nueces County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Nueces County, Texas has narrowed from about 30% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2016, and was narrowest at 24% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,196 since 2009.
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