Mathews County, Virginia Income Statistics
Mathews 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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C
Mathews County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mathews County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $77,016 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $61,637 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.3% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.6% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 9.9% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mathews County is about 18% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Mathews County (2.3%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 16% of adults in Mathews 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 Mathews County, Virginia grew by 55.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $77,016 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mathews County
| Metric | Mathews County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.535 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $72,272 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $57,764 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.1% | 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 Mathews County, it is 0.535, 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 25% more than women's income in Mathews County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $507,780 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mathews County, Virginia has narrowed from about 27% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $841 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Mathews County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 17.6% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 161 people are unemployed in Mathews County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Mathews County is 27 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mathews County, Virginia has fallen from 5.7% to 4.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.1% in 2022 and fell as low as 1.4% in 2017.
Mathews County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Mathews County, VA is the smallest of the 5 counties compared here, 8,540 residents against a local median of 25,231. Mathews County, VA's income growth, at 2.3%/yr, runs 45% below the 4.2%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.4% against a local median of 3.3%, 35% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Mathews County, VA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 1.1%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Mathews County, VA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Mathews County, VA has the 5th highest income growth of the 5 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathews County, VA | 8,540 | $77,016 #3/5 | 2.3%/yr #5/5 | 4.4% #4/5 | 0.535 #5/5 |
| York County, VA | 71,005 | $111,954 | 3.6%/yr | 3.7% | 0.522 |
| Gloucester County, VA | 39,526 | $83,842 | 3.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.525 |
| Middlesex County, VA | 10,847 | $75,089 | 4.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.515 |
| Lancaster County, VA | 10,936 | $71,726 | 4.6%/yr | 9.5% | 0.520 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mathews County, Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Mathews County, Virginia.
How Rich Is Mathews County, Virginia?
Mathews 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 $77,016, about 18% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How has median household income changed in Mathews County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mathews County, Virginia rose 56%, from $49,399 to $77,016. Over the same years, income here kept pace with Virginia as a whole: +56% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Mathews County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mathews County, Virginia was $76,344, down 4% from $79,422 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Mathews County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mathews County, Virginia was $74,826. By 2024 it had risen 3% to $77,016.
What is the Gini coefficient in Mathews County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Mathews County is 0.535. 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 Mathews County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mathews County, Virginia has narrowed from about 27% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $841 since 2009.
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