Smyth County, Virginia Income Statistics
Smyth 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
Smyth County Well below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Smyth County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,886 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,923 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.2% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.1% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.8% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Smyth County is about 47% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Smyth County (3.2%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Smyth 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 Smyth County, Virginia grew by 38.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,886 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Smyth County
| Metric | Smyth County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.526 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,911 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,817 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.0% | 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 Smyth County, it is 0.526, 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 27% more than women's income in Smyth County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $388,290 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Smyth County, Virginia has widened from about 16% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2015, and was narrowest at 11% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,650 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Smyth County widened by 5.0 points while Virginia's narrowed by 3.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Smyth County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.1% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.1% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 373 people are unemployed in Smyth County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Smyth County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Smyth County, Virginia has fallen from 7.0% to 3.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.0% in 2023.
Smyth County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Smyth County, VA is typical in size for this group, 29,374 residents against a local median of 28,184, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Where Smyth County, VA breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 34% below the local median of 4.9%/yr at 3.2%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.1% against a local median of 3.8%, 20% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Smyth County, VA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.5%/yr on income growth, so Smyth County, VA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Smyth County, VA has the 5th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smyth County, VA | 29,374 | $49,886 #4/6 | 3.2%/yr #5/6 | 3.1% #2/6 | 0.526 #2/6 |
| Tazewell County, VA | 39,616 | $47,574 | 2.9%/yr | 3.8% | 0.560 |
| Grayson County, VA | 15,277 | $47,185 | 5.4%/yr | 3.6% | 0.548 |
| Ashe County, NC | 26,946 | $57,366 | 5.4%/yr | 4.8% | 0.512 |
| Washington County, VA | 53,901 | $64,315 | 4.9%/yr | 3.0% | 0.537 |
| Wythe County, VA | 28,184 | $57,139 | 3.8%/yr | 4.0% | 0.537 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Smyth 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 Smyth County, Virginia.
How Rich Is Smyth County, Virginia?
Smyth 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 $49,886, about 47% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How fast is household income rising in Smyth County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Smyth County, Virginia rose 38%, from $36,076 to $49,886. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Virginia as a whole: +38% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Smyth County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Smyth County, Virginia was $46,603, up 3% from $45,073 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Smyth County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Smyth County, Virginia was $41,198. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $49,886.
Is it hard to find a job in Smyth County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Smyth County, Virginia is only 3.1%, 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 Smyth County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Smyth County is 0.526. 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 Smyth County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Smyth County, Virginia has widened from about 16% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2015, and was narrowest at 11% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,650 since 2009.
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