Panola County, Texas Income Statistics
Panola 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
Panola County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Panola County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,075 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,963 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.0% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.0% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Panola County is about 20% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing slower in Panola County (2.8%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Panola 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 Panola County, Texas grew by 52.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,075 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Panola County
| Metric | Panola County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.573 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $67,623 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,492 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 28.3% | 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 Panola County, it is 0.573, 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 39% more than women's income in Panola County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 39% wage gap accumulates to roughly $669,585 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Panola County, Texas has narrowed from about 31% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2021, and was narrowest at 28% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,790 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Panola County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.5% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.1% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 247 people are unemployed in Panola County, Texas.
The average commute time in Panola County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Panola County, Texas has fallen from 6.6% to 2.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.7% in 2012.
Panola County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Panola County, TX is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 22,726 residents against a local median of 52,842. Panola County, TX's unemployment, at 2.5%, runs 56% below the 5.6% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.8%/yr against a local median of 3.9%/yr, 30% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Panola County, TX is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 4.5% on unemployment, so Panola County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Panola 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Panola County, TX | 22,726 | $63,075 #3/6 | 2.8%/yr #5/6 | 2.5% #1/6 | 0.573 #4/6 |
| Harrison County, TX | 70,155 | $66,946 | 4.8%/yr | 5.6% | 0.566 |
| Shelby County, TX | 24,155 | $49,689 | 3.9%/yr | 4.1% | 0.557 |
| Rusk County, TX | 52,842 | $68,603 | 4.6%/yr | 4.5% | 0.595 |
| De Soto Parish, LA | 27,025 | $48,684 | 1.8%/yr | 6.0% | 0.578 |
| Caddo Parish, LA | 229,305 | $50,854 | 2.8%/yr | 8.6% | 0.568 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Panola 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 Panola County, Texas.
How Rich Is Panola County, Texas?
Panola 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 $63,075, about 20% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
Are incomes growing in Panola County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Panola County, Texas rose 53%, from $41,274 to $63,075. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Texas as a whole: +53% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Panola County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Panola County, Texas was $61,162, up 3% from $59,309 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Panola County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Panola County, Texas was $51,381. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $63,075.
Is unemployment high in Panola County, Texas?
Unemployment in Panola County, Texas is only 2.5%, 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 Panola County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Panola County is 0.573. 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 Panola County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Panola County, Texas has narrowed from about 31% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2021, and was narrowest at 28% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,790 since 2009.
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