Mason County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Mason 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
Mason County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mason County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,807 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,194 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.4% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.8% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.3% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mason County is about 16% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Mason County (3.4%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Mason 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 Mason County, West Virginia grew by 43.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,807 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mason County
| Metric | Mason County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.574 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,681 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,763 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.9% | 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 Mason County, it is 0.574, 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 45% more than women's income in Mason County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 45% wage gap accumulates to roughly $592,130 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mason County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 39% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 43% in 2014, and was narrowest at 30% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $143 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Mason County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.5% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 26 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 364 people are unemployed in Mason County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Mason County is 26 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mason County, West Virginia has fallen from 8.6% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.3% in 2015 and fell as low as 2.7% in 2021.
Mason County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Mason County, WV is typical in size for this group, 25,043 residents against a local median of 29,068, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Mason County, WV's income growth, at 3.4%/yr, runs 27% below the 4.7%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.8% against a local median of 5.1%, 25% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Mason County, WV is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.8%/yr on income growth, so Mason County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mason County, WV has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County, WV | 25,043 | $49,807 #5/6 | 3.4%/yr #5/6 | 3.8% #3/6 | 0.574 #6/6 |
| Putnam County, WV | 57,177 | $80,154 | 4.5%/yr | 3.1% | 0.530 |
| Gallia County, OH | 29,068 | $57,211 | 4.8%/yr | 3.5% | 0.541 |
| Meigs County, OH | 21,896 | $47,026 | 2.2%/yr | 5.4% | 0.552 |
| Jackson County, WV | 27,705 | $59,206 | 4.7%/yr | 5.1% | 0.534 |
| Cabell County, WV | 92,739 | $56,062 | 5.0%/yr | 5.1% | 0.559 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mason 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 Mason County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Mason County, West Virginia?
Mason 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 $49,807, about 16% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
How has median household income changed in Mason County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mason County, West Virginia rose 44%, from $34,677 to $49,807. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +44% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Mason County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mason County, West Virginia was $53,255, up 2% from $52,024 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Mason County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mason County, West Virginia was $51,662. By 2024 it had fallen 4% to $49,807.
How strong is the job market in Mason County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Mason County, West Virginia is only 3.8%, well below the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Mason County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Mason County is 0.574. 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 Mason County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mason County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 39% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 43% in 2014, and was narrowest at 30% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $143 since 2009.
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