Pierce County, Washington Income Statistics
Pierce 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
Pierce County Around averageWealthier than 79% of counties in Washington
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Pierce County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $99,574 | $98,224 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $68,753 | $73,370 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.2% | 5.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 17.2% | 19.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 15.6% | 18.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Pierce County is about 1% higher than in Washington. Income has been growing faster in Pierce County (6.2%/yr) than in Washington (5.6%/yr).
About 17% of adults in Pierce County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Washington average of 19%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Pierce County, Washington grew by 75.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $99,574 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Pierce County
| Metric | Pierce County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.525 | 0.534 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $79,897 | $86,137 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $65,499 | $68,506 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.0% | 20.5% | 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 Pierce County, it is 0.525, lower than Washington's 0.534, 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 22% more than women's income in Pierce County, Washington. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $503,930 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pierce County, Washington has narrowed from about 23% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,966 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Pierce County | Washington Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 5.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 13.9% | 19.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 23,991 people are unemployed in Pierce County, Washington.
The average commute time in Pierce County is 26 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Washington.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Pierce County, Washington has fallen from 9.1% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.8% in 2022.
Pierce County, WA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Pierce County, WA is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 929,755 residents against a local median of 276,921. Nothing separates Pierce County, WA sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 4% above the local median at 6.2%/yr against 5.9%/yr. Pierce County, WA has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pierce County, WA | 929,755 | $99,574 #3/6 | 6.2%/yr #2/6 | 4.9% #3/6 | 0.525 #4/6 |
| Lewis County, WA | 85,146 | $74,810 | 6.7%/yr | 5.3% | 0.540 |
| King County, WA | 2,275,758 | $124,760 | 5.9%/yr | 4.8% | 0.511 |
| Thurston County, WA | 299,046 | $96,312 | 5.4%/yr | 4.9% | 0.517 |
| Kitsap County, WA | 276,921 | $104,681 | 6.0%/yr | 4.2% | 0.519 |
| Cowlitz County, WA | 112,357 | $76,590 | 5.8%/yr | 5.9% | 0.542 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pierce County, Washington has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Washington, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Pierce County, Washington.
How Rich Is Pierce County, Washington?
Pierce 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 $99,574, about 1% higher than the Washington average of $98,224.
How fast is household income rising in Pierce County, Washington?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Pierce County, Washington rose 75%, from $56,766 to $99,574. Over the same years, income here outpaced Washington as a whole: +75% against +73%.
What was the median household income in Pierce County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Pierce County, Washington was $96,872, up 6% from $91,704 in 2022. The Washington median that year was $95,216.
What was the median household income in Pierce County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Pierce County, Washington was $76,592. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $99,574.
What is the Gini coefficient in Pierce County, Washington?
The Gini coefficient in Pierce County is 0.525. 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 Pierce County, Washington?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pierce County, Washington has narrowed from about 23% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,966 since 2009.
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