Lee County, Virginia Income Statistics
Lee 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
Lee County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lee County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $42,003 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,779 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.4% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.5% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.1% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lee County is about 55% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Lee County (3.4%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Lee 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 Lee County, Virginia grew by 40.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $42,003 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lee County
| Metric | Lee County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.573 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,819 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,706 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 11.2% | 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 Lee County, it is 0.573, higher than Virginia's 0.544, so income is less 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 13% more than women's income in Lee County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 13% wage gap accumulates to roughly $213,955 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Virginia has narrowed from about 22% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2012, and in 2018 women out-earned men by 0%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,355 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lee County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.9% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 709 people are unemployed in Lee County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Lee County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lee County, Virginia has risen from 7.9% to 9.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.2% in 2016.
Lee County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, VA is typical in size for this group, 21,899 residents against a local median of 20,808, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. The measure that sets Lee County, VA apart most is unemployment: 9.5%, 51% above the local median of 6.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.4%/yr against a local median of 5.1%/yr, 32% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Lee County, VA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.7% on unemployment, so Lee County, VA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lee County, VA has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, VA | 21,899 | $42,003 #2/6 | 3.4%/yr #5/6 | 9.5% #5/6 | 0.573 #5/6 |
| Harlan County, KY | 25,771 | $41,438 | 6.5%/yr | 9.5% | 0.560 |
| Hancock County, TN | 6,852 | $34,955 | 3.0%/yr | 6.3% | 0.555 |
| Hawkins County, TN | 57,964 | $57,329 | 5.4%/yr | 7.3% | 0.534 |
| Leslie County, KY | 10,079 | $36,418 | 5.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.596 |
| Letcher County, KY | 20,808 | $41,776 | 4.6%/yr | 6.2% | 0.551 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lee County, Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it worse than Virginia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lee County, Virginia.
How Rich Is Lee County, Virginia?
Lee 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 $42,003, about 55% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
Are incomes growing in Lee County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lee County, Virginia rose 41%, from $29,842 to $42,003. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Virginia as a whole: +41% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lee County, Virginia was $41,922, up 1% from $41,696 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lee County, Virginia was $35,003. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $42,003.
Is it hard to find a job in Lee County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Lee 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 Lee County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Lee 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 Lee County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Virginia has narrowed from about 22% to 11% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 31% in 2012, and in 2018 women out-earned men by 0%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,355 since 2009.
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