Hardy County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Hardy 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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C
Hardy County Below averageWealthier than 81% of counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,162 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $39,856 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.8% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.9% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.7% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hardy County is about 18% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Hardy County (2.8%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Hardy 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 Hardy County, West Virginia grew by 41.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,162 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hardy County
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.502 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $44,648 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,464 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 4.9% | 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 Hardy County, it is 0.502, 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 5% more than women's income in Hardy County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 5% wage gap accumulates to roughly $76,440 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hardy County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 35% to 5% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $10,231 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Hardy County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.1% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 486 people are unemployed in Hardy County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Hardy County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hardy County, West Virginia has fallen from 8.6% to 7.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.7% in 2012 and fell as low as 2.5% in 2021.
Hardy County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hardy County, WV is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 14,243 residents against a local median of 26,854. Where Hardy County, WV breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 54% above the local median of 4.7% at 7.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.8%/yr against a local median of 5.9%/yr, 53% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Hardy County, WV reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 6.3% on unemployment, so Hardy County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hardy County, WV has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardy County, WV | 14,243 | $49,162 #6/6 | 2.8%/yr #6/6 | 7.3% #5/6 | 0.502 #1/6 |
| Shenandoah County, VA | 44,927 | $68,277 | 3.9%/yr | 4.7% | 0.527 |
| Grant County, WV | 10,983 | $60,837 | 5.9%/yr | 3.3% | 0.521 |
| Hampshire County, WV | 23,465 | $63,970 | 8.8%/yr | 9.0% | 0.538 |
| Mineral County, WV | 26,854 | $70,287 | 8.8%/yr | 6.5% | 0.520 |
| Rockingham County, VA | 85,561 | $81,577 | 5.0%/yr | 2.7% | 0.516 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hardy County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than West Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Hardy County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Hardy County, West Virginia?
Hardy County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $49,162, about 18% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
How has median household income changed in Hardy County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hardy County, West Virginia rose 41%, from $34,805 to $49,162. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +41% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Hardy County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hardy County, West Virginia was $49,300, down 1% from $49,563 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Hardy County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hardy County, West Virginia was $47,225. By 2024 it had risen 4% to $49,162.
Is it hard to find a job in Hardy County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Hardy County, West Virginia is 7.3%, well above the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hardy County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Hardy County is 0.502. 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 Hardy County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hardy County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 35% to 5% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $10,231 since 2009.
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