Wharton County, Texas Income Statistics
Wharton 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
Wharton County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wharton County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $68,105 | $78,939 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,182 | $56,913 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.2% | 13.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 8.2% | 12.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wharton County is about 14% lower than in Texas. Income has been growing faster in Wharton County (5.0%/yr) than in Texas (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Wharton 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 Wharton County, Texas grew by 57.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $68,105 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wharton County
| Metric | Wharton County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.557 | 0.570 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,938 | $66,147 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,332 | $53,058 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 16.6% | 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 Wharton County, it is 0.557, lower than Texas's 0.570, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 20% more than women's income in Wharton County, Texas. Over a 35-year career, a 20% wage gap accumulates to roughly $336,210 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wharton County, Texas has narrowed from about 35% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016, and was narrowest at 11% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,651 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wharton County | Texas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.2% | 14.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 970 people are unemployed in Wharton County, Texas.
The average commute time in Wharton County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Texas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wharton County, Texas has fallen from 6.4% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.5% in 2014.
Wharton County, TX Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wharton County, TX is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 41,794 residents against a local median of 31,170. Where Wharton County, TX breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 33% above the local median of 3.7%/yr at 5.0%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.2%/yr on income growth, so Wharton County, TX sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wharton County, TX has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wharton County, TX | 41,794 | $68,105 #4/6 | 5.0%/yr #2/6 | 4.9% #3/6 | 0.557 #2/6 |
| Colorado County, TX | 21,006 | $68,537 | 5.4%/yr | 2.9% | 0.532 |
| Jackson County, TX | 15,152 | $67,722 | 2.2%/yr | 5.3% | 0.579 |
| Fort Bend County, TX | 893,669 | $114,494 | 2.9%/yr | 5.0% | 0.574 |
| Matagorda County, TX | 36,329 | $58,184 | 4.4%/yr | 8.7% | 0.565 |
| Austin County, TX | 31,170 | $75,855 | 3.7%/yr | 4.3% | 0.560 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wharton County, Texas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Texas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Wharton County, Texas.
How Rich Is Wharton County, Texas?
Wharton 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 $68,105, about 14% lower than the Texas average of $78,939.
Are incomes growing in Wharton County, Texas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wharton County, Texas rose 57%, from $43,250 to $68,105. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Texas as a whole: +57% against +64%.
What was the median household income in Wharton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wharton County, Texas was $66,115, up 11% from $59,677 in 2022. The Texas median that year was $76,528.
What was the median household income in Wharton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wharton County, Texas was $51,758. By 2024 it had risen 32% to $68,105.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wharton County, Texas?
The Gini coefficient in Wharton 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 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 Wharton County, Texas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wharton County, Texas has narrowed from about 35% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016, and was narrowest at 11% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,651 since 2009.
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