Wood County, West Virginia Income Statistics
Wood 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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C
Wood County Below averageWealthier than 80% of counties in West Virginia
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wood County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $58,016 | $59,640 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,410 | $52,420 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.5% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.8% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.0% | 5.9% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wood County is about 3% lower than in West Virginia. Income has been growing slower in Wood County (3.5%/yr) than in West Virginia (4.3%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Wood County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the West Virginia average of 8%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Wood County, West Virginia grew by 46.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $58,016 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wood County
| Metric | Wood County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.529 | 0.554 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,238 | $61,809 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,418 | $47,573 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.6% | 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 Wood County, it is 0.529, lower than West Virginia's 0.554, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Wood County, West Virginia. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $378,700 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wood County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 32% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,583 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wood County | West Virginia Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 5.4% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.9% | 9.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 2,045 people are unemployed in Wood County, West Virginia.
The average commute time in Wood County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in West Virginia.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wood County, West Virginia has fallen from 8.3% to 5.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.8% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.6% in 2019.
Wood County, WV Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wood County, WV is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 83,389 residents against a local median of 8,286. Nothing separates Wood County, WV sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 10% below the local median at 3.5%/yr against 3.9%/yr. Wood 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wood County, WV | 83,389 | $58,016 #4/6 | 3.5%/yr #5/6 | 5.3% #5/6 | 0.529 #3/6 |
| Wirt County, WV | 5,053 | $49,849 | 3.6%/yr | 4.9% | 0.498 |
| Washington County, OH | 58,978 | $64,178 | 4.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.526 |
| Pleasants County, WV | 7,521 | $60,912 | 3.9%/yr | 8.5% | 0.570 |
| Jackson County, WV | 27,705 | $59,206 | 4.7%/yr | 5.1% | 0.534 |
| Ritchie County, WV | 8,286 | $51,044 | 2.9%/yr | 2.4% | 0.570 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wood County, West Virginia has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than West Virginia, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Wood County, West Virginia.
How Rich Is Wood County, West Virginia?
Wood County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $58,016, about 3% lower than the West Virginia average of $59,640.
How has median household income changed in Wood County, West Virginia?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wood County, West Virginia rose 47%, from $39,518 to $58,016. Over the same years, income here lagged behind West Virginia as a whole: +47% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Wood County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wood County, West Virginia was $56,622, up 3% from $54,713 in 2022. The West Virginia median that year was $57,884.
What was the median household income in Wood County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wood County, West Virginia was $48,881. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $58,016.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wood County, West Virginia?
The Gini coefficient in Wood County is 0.529. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Wood County, West Virginia?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wood County, West Virginia has narrowed from about 32% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,583 since 2009.
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