Shelby County, Texas Income Statistics
Shelby 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
Shelby County Well below averageLess wealthy than 77% of counties in Texas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Shelby County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,689 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,063 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.9% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.7% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Shelby County is about 37% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing slower in Shelby County (3.9%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Shelby 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 Shelby County, Texas grew by 54.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,689 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Shelby County
| Metric | Shelby County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.557 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,248 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $35,806 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 35.2% | 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 Shelby County, it is 0.557, lower than Texas's 0.570, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 54% more than women's income in Shelby County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 54% wage gap accumulates to roughly $680,470 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Shelby County, Texas has widened from about 24% to 35% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2023, and was narrowest at 16% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,499 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Shelby County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.1% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 427 people are unemployed in Shelby County, Texas.
The average commute time in Shelby County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Shelby County, Texas has fallen from 7.3% to 4.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.6% in 2016 and fell as low as 4.0% in 2022.
Shelby County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Shelby County, TX is typical in size for this group, 24,155 residents against a local median of 22,726, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Shelby County, TX's unemployment, at 4.1%, runs 32% below the 6.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 7.0% on unemployment, so Shelby County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Shelby County, TX has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County, TX | 24,155 | $49,689 #5/6 | 3.9%/yr #4/6 | 4.1% #2/6 | 0.557 #3/6 |
| San Augustine County, TX | 7,874 | $50,808 | 7.2%/yr | 9.5% | 0.556 |
| Panola County, TX | 22,726 | $63,075 | 2.8%/yr | 2.5% | 0.573 |
| De Soto Parish, LA | 27,025 | $48,684 | 1.8%/yr | 6.0% | 0.578 |
| Nacogdoches County, TX | 65,162 | $53,403 | 4.1%/yr | 7.0% | 0.590 |
| Sabine County, TX | 10,023 | $65,978 | 9.4%/yr | 4.7% | 0.520 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Shelby 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 Shelby County, Texas.
How Rich Is Shelby County, Texas?
Shelby 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 $49,689, about 37% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
How fast is household income rising in Shelby County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Shelby County, Texas rose 54%, from $32,248 to $49,689. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Texas as a whole: +54% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Shelby County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Shelby County, Texas was $50,519, up 3% from $49,115 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Shelby County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Shelby County, Texas was $41,236. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $49,689.
Is it hard to find a job in Shelby County, Texas?
Unemployment in Shelby County, Texas is only 4.1%, 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 Shelby County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Shelby County is 0.557. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Shelby County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Shelby County, Texas has widened from about 24% to 35% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2023, and was narrowest at 16% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,499 since 2009.
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