Webster County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Webster 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
Webster County Well below averageLess wealthy than 81% of counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Webster County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $43,535 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,096 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.1% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.4% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Webster County is about 27% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing faster in Webster County (5.0%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Webster 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 Webster County, West Virginia grew by 52.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $43,535 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Webster County
| Metric | Webster County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.573 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,716 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,141 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.8% | 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 Webster County, it is 0.573, 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 16% more than women's income in Webster County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $230,125 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Webster County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 53% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 54% in 2010, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 0%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $12,773 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Webster County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.2% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.0% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 271 people are unemployed in Webster County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Webster County is 25 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Webster County, West Virginia has fallen from 11.9% to 9.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.8% in 2015.
Webster County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Webster County, WV is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 8,144 residents against a local median of 16,740. Where Webster County, WV breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 28% above the local median of 3.9%/yr at 5.0%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $43,535 against a local median of $54,729, 20% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Webster County, WV is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.7%/yr on income growth, so Webster County, WV sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Webster County, WV has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webster County, WV | 8,144 | $43,535 #5/6 | 5.0%/yr #2/6 | 9.2% #4/6 | 0.573 #6/6 |
| Braxton County, WV | 12,208 | $50,274 | 3.9%/yr | 9.3% | 0.568 |
| Nicholas County, WV | 24,277 | $54,729 | 4.2%/yr | 5.9% | 0.566 |
| Upshur County, WV | 23,712 | $55,217 | 3.4%/yr | 5.7% | 0.561 |
| Pocahontas County, WV | 7,784 | $42,788 | 2.4%/yr | 11.8% | 0.568 |
| Lewis County, WV | 16,740 | $56,055 | 5.1%/yr | 8.6% | 0.566 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Webster County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than West Virginia, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Webster County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Webster County, West Virginia?
Webster 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 $43,535, about 27% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
How has median household income changed in Webster County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Webster County, West Virginia rose 53%, from $28,517 to $43,535. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +53% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Webster County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Webster County, West Virginia was $41,666, down 5% from $43,806 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Webster County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Webster County, West Virginia was $33,894. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $43,535.
How strong is the job market in Webster County, West Virginia?
Unemployment in Webster County, West Virginia is 9.2%, well above the West Virginia rate of 5.4%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Webster County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Webster County is 0.573. 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 Webster County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Webster County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 53% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 54% in 2010, and in 2021 women out-earned men by 0%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $12,773 since 2009.
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