Wise County, Virginia Income Statistics
Wise 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.
-
D
Wise County Well below averageLess wealthy than 93% of counties in Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wise County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,154 | $93,527 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,207 | $68,139 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.9% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.9% | 18.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.2% | 17.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wise County is about 43% lower than in Virginia. Income has been growing faster in Wise County (4.9%/yr) than in Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Wise 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 Wise County, Virginia grew by 65.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,154 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wise County
| Metric | Wise County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.556 | 0.544 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,430 | $78,585 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,525 | $62,626 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.3% | 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 Wise County, it is 0.556, higher than Virginia's 0.544, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 29% more than women's income in Wise County, Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 29% wage gap accumulates to roughly $416,675 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wise County, Virginia has narrowed from about 31% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2013, and was narrowest at 19% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $399 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wise County | Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.2% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.7% | 18.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,128 people are unemployed in Wise County, Virginia.
The average commute time in Wise County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wise County, Virginia has fallen from 8.5% to 8.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.1% in 2014.
Wise County, VA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wise County, VA is the largest of the 5 counties compared here, 35,431 residents against a local median of 17,319. Where Wise County, VA breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 83% above the local median of 4.5% at 8.2%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $53,154 against a local median of $44,153, 20% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Wise County, VA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 7.0% on unemployment, so Wise County, VA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wise County, VA has the 4th lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wise County, VA | 35,431 | $53,154 #1/5 | 4.9%/yr #3/5 | 8.2% #4/5 | 0.556 #4/5 |
| Scott County, VA | 21,488 | $46,320 | 2.5%/yr | 2.8% | 0.548 |
| Letcher County, KY | 20,808 | $41,776 | 4.6%/yr | 6.2% | 0.551 |
| Dickenson County, VA | 13,730 | $46,837 | 5.5%/yr | 2.3% | 0.552 |
| Knott County, KY | 13,830 | $41,985 | 5.0%/yr | 9.3% | 0.567 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wise 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 Wise County, Virginia.
How Rich Is Wise County, Virginia?
Wise 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 $53,154, about 43% lower than the Virginia average of $93,527.
How fast is household income rising in Wise County, Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wise County, Virginia rose 66%, from $32,107 to $53,154. Over the same years, income here outpaced Virginia as a whole: +66% against +55%.
What was the median household income in Wise County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wise County, Virginia was $51,312, up 8% from $47,457 in 2022. The Virginia median that year was $91,420.
What was the median household income in Wise County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wise County, Virginia was $40,895. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $53,154.
How strong is the job market in Wise County, Virginia?
Unemployment in Wise County, Virginia is 8.2%, well above the Virginia rate of 4.1%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wise County, Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Wise County is 0.556. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Wise County, Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wise County, Virginia has narrowed from about 31% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2013, and was narrowest at 19% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $399 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →