Lancaster County, Virginia Income Statistics
Lancaster 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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B
Lancaster County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $71,726 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $53,983 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.5% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.6% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lancaster County is about 23% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing faster in Lancaster County (4.6%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Lancaster County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Virginia average of 18%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lancaster County, Virginia grew by 61.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $71,726 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lancaster County
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.520 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $75,108 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $51,348 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 31.6% | 20.3% | 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 Lancaster County, it is 0.520, lower than Virginia's 0.544, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 46% more than women's income in Lancaster County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 46% wage gap accumulates to roughly $831,600 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lancaster County, Virginia has widened from about 27% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 43% in 2023, and was narrowest at 13% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,761 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Lancaster County widened by 4.7 points while Virginia's narrowed by 3.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Lancaster County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 14.8% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 432 people are unemployed in Lancaster County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Lancaster County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lancaster County, Virginia has risen from 7.6% to 9.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.6% in 2021 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2018.
Lancaster County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lancaster County, VA is typical in size for this group, 10,936 residents against a local median of 10,847, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Lancaster County, VA's unemployment, at 9.5%, runs 230% above the 2.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.6%/yr against a local median of 3.7%/yr, 25% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Lancaster County, VA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves sit within 2.0% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Lancaster County, VA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Lancaster County, VA has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lancaster County, VA | 10,936 | $71,726 #4/6 | 4.6%/yr #3/6 | 9.5% #6/6 | 0.520 #2/6 |
| Middlesex County, VA | 10,847 | $75,089 | 4.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.515 |
| Northumberland County, VA | 12,188 | $66,900 | 2.7%/yr | 3.7% | 0.529 |
| Gloucester County, VA | 39,526 | $83,842 | 3.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.525 |
| Mathews County, VA | 8,540 | $77,016 | 2.3%/yr | 4.4% | 0.535 |
| Richmond County, VA | 9,095 | $69,824 | 5.8%/yr | 2.5% | 0.537 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lancaster County, Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Virginia, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lancaster County, Virginia.
How Rich Is Lancaster County, Virginia?
Lancaster County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $71,726, about 23% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How has median household income changed in Lancaster County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lancaster County, Virginia rose 61%, from $44,482 to $71,726. Over the same years, income here outpaced Virginia as a whole: +61% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Lancaster County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lancaster County, Virginia was $68,554, up 6% from $64,435 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Lancaster County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lancaster County, Virginia was $59,827. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $71,726.
Is unemployment high in Lancaster County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Lancaster County, Virginia is 9.5%, well above the Virginia rate of 4.1%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lancaster County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Lancaster County is 0.520. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Lancaster County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lancaster County, Virginia has widened from about 27% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 43% in 2023, and was narrowest at 13% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $12,761 since 2009.
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