McDowell County, West Virginia Income Statistics
McDowell 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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F
McDowell County Well below averageLeast wealthy county in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $32,066 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,267 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.2% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.2% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.8% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in McDowell County is about 46% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in McDowell County (3.2%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 2% of adults in McDowell 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 McDowell County, West Virginia grew by 48.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $32,066 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in McDowell County
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.631 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $46,390 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,818 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 7.7% | 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 McDowell County, it is 0.631, 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 8% more than women's income in McDowell County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 8% wage gap accumulates to roughly $125,020 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McDowell County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 17% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,532 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | McDowell County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 8.2% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.5% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 31 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 337 people are unemployed in McDowell County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in McDowell County is 31 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in McDowell County, West Virginia has fallen from 9.2% to 8.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.1% in 2022.
McDowell County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
McDowell County, WV is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 17,943 residents against a local median of 31,458. McDowell County, WV's unemployment, at 8.2%, runs 113% above the 3.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $32,066 against a local median of $48,071, 33% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: McDowell County, WV reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.9% on unemployment, so McDowell County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. McDowell 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDowell County, WV | 17,943 | $32,066 #6/6 | 3.2%/yr #5/6 | 8.2% #5/6 | 0.631 #6/6 |
| Wyoming County, WV | 20,629 | $48,071 | 3.9%/yr | 5.7% | 0.590 |
| Tazewell County, VA | 39,616 | $47,574 | 2.9%/yr | 3.8% | 0.560 |
| Buchanan County, VA | 19,415 | $43,339 | 4.5%/yr | 3.9% | 0.593 |
| Logan County, WV | 31,458 | $49,728 | 4.0%/yr | 8.5% | 0.579 |
| Mercer County, WV | 58,563 | $52,590 | 4.4%/yr | 2.6% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, McDowell County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than West Virginia, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in McDowell County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is McDowell County, West Virginia?
McDowell County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $32,066, about 46% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
Are incomes growing in McDowell County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in McDowell County, West Virginia rose 49%, from $21,564 to $32,066. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +49% against +60%.
What was the median household income in McDowell County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in McDowell County, West Virginia was $29,979, up 5% from $28,483 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in McDowell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in McDowell County, West Virginia was $25,901. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $32,066.
Is it hard to find a job in McDowell County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in McDowell County, West Virginia is 8.2%, well above the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in McDowell County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in McDowell County is 0.631. 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 McDowell County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McDowell County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 17% to 8% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,532 since 2009.
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