Calhoun County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Calhoun 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
Calhoun County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Calhoun County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $43,255 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,600 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 1.3% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.9% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Calhoun County is about 27% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Calhoun County (1.3%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Calhoun 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 Calhoun County, West Virginia grew by 56.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $43,255 in 2024. That's an average of about 1.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Calhoun County
| Metric | Calhoun County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.587 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,352 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $33,197 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 43.1% | 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 Calhoun County, it is 0.587, 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 76% more than women's income in Calhoun County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 76% wage gap accumulates to roughly $880,425 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Calhoun County, West Virginia has widened from about 34% to 43% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 48% in 2013, and was narrowest at 23% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $14,360 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Calhoun County widened by 9.1 points while West Virginia's narrowed by 8.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Calhoun County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.9% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 2.1% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 31 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 184 people are unemployed in Calhoun County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Calhoun County is 31 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Calhoun County, West Virginia has fallen from 10.2% to 8.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 18.9% in 2014.
Calhoun County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Calhoun County, WV is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 6,048 residents against a local median of 7,835. The measure that sets Calhoun County, WV apart most is income growth: 1.3%/yr, 62% below the local median of 3.3%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 8.9% against a local median of 6.8%, 31% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Calhoun County, WV reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. 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 Calhoun County, WV, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Calhoun County, WV has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calhoun County, WV | 6,048 | $43,255 #6/6 | 1.3%/yr #6/6 | 8.9% #4/6 | 0.587 #5/6 |
| Roane County, WV | 13,786 | $45,941 | 3.9%/yr | 8.9% | 0.567 |
| Gilmer County, WV | 7,288 | $47,050 | 3.3%/yr | 6.8% | 0.682 |
| Wirt County, WV | 5,053 | $49,849 | 3.6%/yr | 4.9% | 0.498 |
| Ritchie County, WV | 8,286 | $51,044 | 2.9%/yr | 2.4% | 0.570 |
| Clay County, WV | 7,835 | $43,805 | 3.2%/yr | 11.7% | 0.587 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Calhoun County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than West Virginia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Calhoun County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Calhoun County, West Virginia?
Calhoun 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 $43,255, about 27% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
How has median household income changed in Calhoun County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Calhoun County, West Virginia rose 57%, from $27,566 to $43,255. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +57% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Calhoun County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Calhoun County, West Virginia was $42,220, up 8% from $39,180 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Calhoun County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Calhoun County, West Virginia was $38,459. By 2024 it had risen 12% to $43,255.
How strong is the job market in Calhoun County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Calhoun County, West Virginia is 8.9%, well above the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Calhoun County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Calhoun County is 0.587. 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 Calhoun County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Calhoun County, West Virginia has widened from about 34% to 43% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 48% in 2013, and was narrowest at 23% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $14,360 since 2009.
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