Russell County, Virginia Income Statistics
Russell 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
Russell County Well below averageLess wealthy than 87% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Russell County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $50,007 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,393 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.5% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.7% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Russell County is about 47% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Russell County (3.5%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Russell 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 Russell County, Virginia grew by 56.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $50,007 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Russell County
| Metric | Russell County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.543 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,622 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,038 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.2% | 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 Russell County, it is 0.543, about the same as Virginia's 0.544, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 21% more than women's income in Russell County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $335,440 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Russell County, Virginia has narrowed from about 24% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,269 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Russell County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.6% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.9% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 345 people are unemployed in Russell County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Russell County is 26 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Russell County, Virginia has fallen from 7.6% to 3.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.8% in 2014.
Russell County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Russell County, VA is the 3rd largest of the 5 counties compared here, 25,530 residents against a local median of 36,658. Where Russell County, VA breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 26% below the local median of 4.8%/yr at 3.5%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves sit within 1.0%/yr of each other on income growth, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Russell County, VA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Russell 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County, VA | 25,530 | $50,007 #3/5 | 3.5%/yr #5/5 | 3.6% #3/5 | 0.543 #3/5 |
| Washington County, VA | 53,901 | $64,315 | 4.9%/yr | 3.0% | 0.537 |
| Dickenson County, VA | 13,730 | $46,837 | 5.5%/yr | 2.3% | 0.552 |
| Buchanan County, VA | 19,415 | $43,339 | 4.5%/yr | 3.9% | 0.593 |
| Sullivan County, TN | 160,624 | $59,119 | 4.7%/yr | 5.4% | 0.532 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Russell County, Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Virginia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Russell County, Virginia.
How Rich Is Russell County, Virginia?
Russell 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 $50,007, about 47% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How fast is household income rising in Russell County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Russell County, Virginia rose 56%, from $32,061 to $50,007. Over the same years, income here kept pace with Virginia as a whole: +56% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Russell County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Russell County, Virginia was $49,073, up 12% from $43,986 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Russell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Russell County, Virginia was $38,386. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $50,007.
What is the Gini coefficient in Russell County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Russell County is 0.543. 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 Russell County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Russell County, Virginia has narrowed from about 24% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,269 since 2009.
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