Fayette County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Fayette 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
Fayette County Well below averageLess wealthy than 74% of counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fayette County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,782 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,365 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.6% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.4% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fayette County is about 10% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing faster in Fayette County (4.5%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Fayette 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 Fayette County, West Virginia grew by 66.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,782 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fayette County
| Metric | Fayette County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,029 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,620 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.4% | 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 Fayette County, it is 0.545, lower than West Virginia's 0.554, 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 26% more than women's income in Fayette County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $399,315 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 34% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2010, and was narrowest at 17% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,209 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Fayette County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.6% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.6% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 865 people are unemployed in Fayette County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Fayette County is 23 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fayette County, West Virginia has fallen from 8.1% to 5.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2014.
Fayette County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fayette County, WV is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 39,515 residents against a local median of 24,277. Where Fayette County, WV breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 40% above the local median of 3.2%/yr at 4.5%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.4%/yr on income growth, so Fayette County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fayette County, WV has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, WV | 39,515 | $53,782 #3/6 | 4.5%/yr #1/6 | 5.6% #3/6 | 0.545 #2/6 |
| Raleigh County, WV | 73,194 | $51,658 | 2.9%/yr | 5.0% | 0.579 |
| Nicholas County, WV | 24,277 | $54,729 | 4.2%/yr | 5.9% | 0.566 |
| Clay County, WV | 7,835 | $43,805 | 3.2%/yr | 11.7% | 0.587 |
| Summers County, WV | 11,729 | $40,711 | 1.7%/yr | 2.2% | 0.548 |
| Kanawha County, WV | 176,529 | $61,190 | 3.5%/yr | 5.6% | 0.538 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fayette 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 Fayette County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Fayette County, West Virginia?
Fayette 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 $53,782, about 10% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
Are incomes growing in Fayette County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fayette County, West Virginia rose 66%, from $32,360 to $53,782. Over the same years, income here outpaced West Virginia as a whole: +66% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fayette County, West Virginia was $52,940, up 6% from $50,101 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fayette County, West Virginia was $43,695. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $53,782.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fayette County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Fayette County is 0.545. 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 Fayette County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 34% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2010, and was narrowest at 17% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,209 since 2009.
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