Pocahontas County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Pocahontas 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
Pocahontas County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Pocahontas County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $42,788 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $38,428 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.4% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.1% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.9% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Pocahontas County is about 28% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Pocahontas County (2.4%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County, West Virginia grew by 32.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $42,788 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Pocahontas County
| Metric | Pocahontas County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.568 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $44,209 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,886 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 14.3% | 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 Pocahontas County, it is 0.568, 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 17% more than women's income in Pocahontas County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 17% wage gap accumulates to roughly $221,305 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pocahontas County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 32% to 14% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,554 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Pocahontas County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 11.8% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.1% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 335 people are unemployed in Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Pocahontas County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Pocahontas County, West Virginia has risen from 6.4% to 11.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 4.4% in 2019.
Pocahontas County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Pocahontas County, WV is typical in size for this group, 7,784 residents against a local median of 8,144, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Pocahontas County, WV's unemployment, at 11.8%, runs 59% above the 7.4% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.4%/yr against a local median of 3.7%/yr, 36% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Pocahontas County, WV reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 10.6% on unemployment, so Pocahontas County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Pocahontas 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pocahontas County, WV | 7,784 | $42,788 #6/6 | 2.4%/yr #6/6 | 11.8% #5/6 | 0.568 #5/6 |
| Bath County, VA | 4,100 | $58,076 | 3.7%/yr | 1.3% | 0.564 |
| Highland County, VA | 2,296 | $66,934 | 5.2%/yr | 11.9% | 0.482 |
| Webster County, WV | 8,144 | $43,535 | 5.0%/yr | 9.2% | 0.573 |
| Randolph County, WV | 27,576 | $53,346 | 3.6%/yr | 7.4% | 0.555 |
| Alleghany County, VA | 14,859 | $55,586 | 2.5%/yr | 2.3% | 0.533 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pocahontas 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 Pocahontas County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Pocahontas County, West Virginia?
Pocahontas 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 $42,788, about 28% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
Are incomes growing in Pocahontas County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Pocahontas County, West Virginia rose 32%, from $32,316 to $42,788. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +32% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Pocahontas County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Pocahontas County, West Virginia was $41,621, down 1% from $41,977 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Pocahontas County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Pocahontas County, West Virginia was $37,694. By 2024 it had risen 14% to $42,788.
Is unemployment high in Pocahontas County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Pocahontas County, West Virginia is 11.8%, well above the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Pocahontas County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Pocahontas County is 0.568. 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 Pocahontas County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pocahontas County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 32% to 14% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,554 since 2009.
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