Ritchie County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Ritchie 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
Ritchie County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ritchie County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,044 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,551 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.9% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.2% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.3% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ritchie County is about 14% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Ritchie County (2.9%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Ritchie 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 Ritchie County, West Virginia grew by 45.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,044 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Ritchie County
| Metric | Ritchie County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.570 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,555 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,603 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 33.5% | 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 Ritchie County, it is 0.570, 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 50% more than women's income in Ritchie County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 50% wage gap accumulates to roughly $663,320 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ritchie County, West Virginia has widened from about 30% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2018, and was narrowest at 22% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,800 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Ritchie County widened by 3.4 points while West Virginia's narrowed by 8.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Ritchie County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.4% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.8% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 31 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 77 people are unemployed in Ritchie County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Ritchie County is 31 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ritchie County, West Virginia has fallen from 9.7% to 2.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.4% in 2014 and fell as low as 1.7% in 2023.
Ritchie County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Ritchie County, WV is typical in size for this group, 8,286 residents against a local median of 7,288, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. The measure that sets Ritchie County, WV apart most is unemployment: 2.4%, 66% below the local median of 7.0%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.9%/yr against a local median of 3.6%/yr, 20% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Ritchie County, WV is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 4.0% on unemployment, so Ritchie County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Ritchie County, WV has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ritchie County, WV | 8,286 | $51,044 #3/6 | 2.9%/yr #5/6 | 2.4% #1/6 | 0.570 #3/6 |
| Pleasants County, WV | 7,521 | $60,912 | 3.9%/yr | 8.5% | 0.570 |
| Gilmer County, WV | 7,288 | $47,050 | 3.3%/yr | 6.8% | 0.682 |
| Tyler County, WV | 8,063 | $62,149 | 6.1%/yr | 7.0% | 0.575 |
| Calhoun County, WV | 6,048 | $43,255 | 1.3%/yr | 8.9% | 0.587 |
| Wirt County, WV | 5,053 | $49,849 | 3.6%/yr | 4.9% | 0.498 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ritchie 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 Ritchie County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Ritchie County, West Virginia?
Ritchie 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 $51,044, about 14% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
Are incomes growing in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ritchie County, West Virginia rose 45%, from $35,207 to $51,044. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +45% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Ritchie County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ritchie County, West Virginia was $50,414, up 3% from $49,047 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Ritchie County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ritchie County, West Virginia was $44,423. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $51,044.
Is unemployment high in Ritchie County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Ritchie County, West Virginia is only 2.4%, 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 Ritchie County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Ritchie County is 0.570. 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 Ritchie County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ritchie County, West Virginia has widened from about 30% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2018, and was narrowest at 22% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,800 since 2009.
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