Barbour County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Barbour 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
Barbour County Well below averageLess wealthy than 72% of counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Barbour County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,294 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,815 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.3% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.7% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Barbour County is about 12% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing faster in Barbour County (4.6%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Barbour County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the West Virginia average of 8%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Barbour County, West Virginia grew by 68.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,294 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Barbour County
| Metric | Barbour County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.581 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,799 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,136 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 34.0% | 23.0% | 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 Barbour County, it is 0.581, higher than West Virginia's 0.554, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 52% more than women's income in Barbour County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 52% wage gap accumulates to roughly $688,205 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barbour County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 37% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2018, and was narrowest at 25% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,586 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Barbour County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.5% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.6% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 522 people are unemployed in Barbour County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Barbour County is 27 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Barbour County, West Virginia has risen from 8.3% to 8.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.3% in 2023 and fell as low as 7.6% in 2019.
Barbour County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Barbour County, WV is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 15,424 residents against a local median of 23,712. Barbour County, WV's unemployment, at 8.5%, runs 40% above the 6.1% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.6%/yr against a local median of 3.5%/yr, 33% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Barbour County, WV is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.5% on unemployment, so Barbour County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Barbour County, WV has the 6th lowest unemployment 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barbour County, WV | 15,424 | $52,294 #6/6 | 4.6%/yr #1/6 | 8.5% #6/6 | 0.581 #6/6 |
| Taylor County, WV | 16,487 | $57,966 | 3.5%/yr | 7.5% | 0.556 |
| Upshur County, WV | 23,712 | $55,217 | 3.4%/yr | 5.7% | 0.561 |
| Randolph County, WV | 27,576 | $53,346 | 3.6%/yr | 7.4% | 0.555 |
| Harrison County, WV | 64,984 | $60,698 | 3.9%/yr | 4.0% | 0.550 |
| Tucker County, WV | 6,654 | $54,502 | 2.8%/yr | 6.1% | 0.531 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Barbour County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with West Virginia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Barbour County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Barbour County, West Virginia?
Barbour 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 $52,294, about 12% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
Are incomes growing in Barbour County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Barbour County, West Virginia rose 68%, from $31,108 to $52,294. Over the same years, income here outpaced West Virginia as a whole: +68% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Barbour County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Barbour County, West Virginia was $48,038, up 9% from $43,998 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Barbour County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Barbour County, West Virginia was $38,598. By 2024 it had risen 35% to $52,294.
How strong is the job market in Barbour County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Barbour County, West Virginia is 8.5%, well above the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Barbour County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Barbour County is 0.581. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Barbour County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barbour County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 37% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2018, and was narrowest at 25% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $6,586 since 2009.
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