Roanoke County, Virginia Income Statistics
Roanoke 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
Roanoke County Around averageWealthier than 74% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Roanoke County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $83,514 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $62,120 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 13.2% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.1% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Roanoke County is about 11% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Roanoke County (4.2%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Roanoke 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 Roanoke County, Virginia grew by 42.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $83,514 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Roanoke County
| Metric | Roanoke County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.521 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $73,103 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $58,113 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.5% | 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 Roanoke County, it is 0.521, 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 26% more than women's income in Roanoke County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $524,650 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Roanoke County, Virginia has narrowed from about 29% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $187 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Roanoke County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.4% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,333 people are unemployed in Roanoke County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Roanoke County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Roanoke County, Virginia has fallen from 4.6% to 2.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.6% in 2013 and fell as low as 2.6% in 2022.
Roanoke County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Roanoke County, VA is the 2nd largest of the 4 counties compared here, 97,092 residents against a local median of 55,141. Where Roanoke County, VA breaks from the counties next to it is median household income, sitting 17% above the local median of $71,288 at $83,514. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 2.7% against a local median of 2.3%, 16% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Roanoke County, VA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves sit within $2,503 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Roanoke County, VA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Roanoke County, VA has the highest median household income of the 4 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roanoke County, VA | 97,092 | $83,514 #1/4 | 4.2%/yr #4/4 | 2.7% #3/4 | 0.521 #2/4 |
| Craig County, VA | 4,833 | $71,702 | 8.1%/yr | 2.2% | 0.521 |
| Montgomery County, VA | 99,089 | $71,288 | 4.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.623 |
| Franklin County, VA | 55,141 | $69,199 | 4.5%/yr | 2.3% | 0.537 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Roanoke 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 Roanoke County, Virginia.
How Rich Is Roanoke County, Virginia?
Roanoke 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 $83,514, about 11% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How fast is household income rising in Roanoke County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Roanoke County, Virginia rose 43%, from $58,433 to $83,514. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Virginia as a whole: +43% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Roanoke County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Roanoke County, Virginia was $82,442, up 2% from $81,190 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Roanoke County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Roanoke County, Virginia was $69,492. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $83,514.
Is unemployment high in Roanoke County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Roanoke County, Virginia is only 2.7%, well below the Virginia rate of 4.1%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Roanoke County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Roanoke County is 0.521. 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 Roanoke County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Roanoke County, Virginia has narrowed from about 29% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $187 since 2009.
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