Smith County, Texas Income Statistics
Smith 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
Smith County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Smith County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,135 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,951 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.5% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.5% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Smith County is about 6% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing faster in Smith County (5.4%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 10% of adults in Smith 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 Smith County, Texas grew by 63.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,135 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Smith County
| Metric | Smith County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.554 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,454 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,503 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 23.5% | 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 Smith County, it is 0.554, 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 31% more than women's income in Smith County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 31% wage gap accumulates to roughly $488,285 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Smith County, Texas has narrowed from about 25% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2010, and was narrowest at 23% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,609 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Smith County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.2% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 5,221 people are unemployed in Smith County, Texas.
The average commute time in Smith County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Smith County, Texas has fallen from 7.5% to 4.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.1% in 2023.
Smith County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Smith County, TX is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 241,737 residents against a local median of 51,885. Where Smith County, TX breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 18% above the local median of 4.5%/yr at 5.4%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.2%/yr on income growth, so Smith County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Smith County, TX has the highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith County, TX | 241,737 | $74,135 #1/6 | 5.4%/yr #1/6 | 4.4% #2/6 | 0.554 #2/6 |
| Wood County, TX | 46,961 | $60,416 | 3.0%/yr | 6.3% | 0.557 |
| Gregg County, TX | 125,481 | $67,149 | 4.5%/yr | 3.6% | 0.549 |
| Upshur County, TX | 42,567 | $64,889 | 3.9%/yr | 5.8% | 0.556 |
| Cherokee County, TX | 51,885 | $61,269 | 5.2%/yr | 5.2% | 0.596 |
| Rusk County, TX | 52,842 | $68,603 | 4.6%/yr | 4.5% | 0.595 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Smith 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 Smith County, Texas.
How Rich Is Smith County, Texas?
Smith 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 $74,135, about 6% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
Are incomes growing in Smith County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Smith County, Texas rose 63%, from $45,427 to $74,135. Over the same years, income here kept pace with Texas as a whole: +63% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Smith County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Smith County, Texas was $71,717, up 3% from $69,439 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Smith County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Smith County, Texas was $59,595. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $74,135.
What is the Gini coefficient in Smith County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Smith County is 0.554. 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 Smith County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Smith County, Texas has narrowed from about 25% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2010, and was narrowest at 23% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,609 since 2009.
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