PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN/Stacker.com) — Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation, and a list is highlighting which counties are the lowest-earning in the Beaver State.
With the help of Stacker.com, KOIN 6 News put together a list of those counties throughout Oregon.
Overall, Americans were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows, according to Stacker. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, the United States’ GPD fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn’t been since the Great Depression.
Since then, the GDP has recovered, the first quarter of 2022 was 11% above the fourth quarter of 2019.
While GDP has recovered since the height of the pandemic, wage growth has not kept pace with inflation. In 2021 average hourly wages increased 4.7% while there was 7% inflation, meaning the worker’s purchasing power dropped by 2.4%.
The highest earning county in the U.S. earns $147,111, while the lowest earns $22,292.
Using data from the U.S. Census Bureau, counties on the list are ranked by the Census’ 2020 five-year estimate median household income.
Below, you will find 10 lowest-earning counties in Oregon.
#10. Coos County
- Median household income: $49,445
— 24.7% below state average, 23.9% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 19.1%
— #1,781 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 13.5%
— #1,147 highest among all counties nationwide
#9. Klamath County
- Median household income: $48,560
— 26.1% below state average, 25.3% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 17.4%
— #2,072 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 15.3%
— #1,058 highest among all counties nationwide
#8. Grant County
- Median household income: $48,202
— 26.6% below state average, 25.8% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 15.2%
— #2,479 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 14.2%
— #1,021 highest among all counties nationwide
#7. Josephine County
- Median household income: $47,733
— 27.3% below state average, 26.6% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 17.3%
— #2,087 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 13.0%
— #978 highest among all counties nationwideYou may also like: Most popular girl names in the 70s in Oregon
#6. Baker County
- Median household income: $46,250
— 29.6% below state average, 28.8% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 19.6%
— #1,683 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 12.2%
— #838 highest among all counties nationwide
#5. Wheeler County
- Median household income: $45,354
— 30.9% below state average, 30.2% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 12.1%
— #2,852 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 13.6%
— #767 highest among all counties nationwide
#4. Malheur County
- Median household income: $44,362
— 32.4% below state average, 31.7% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 15.1%
— #2,490 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 13.7%
— #680 highest among all counties nationwide
#3. Lake County
- Median household income: $44,237
— 32.6% below state average, 31.9% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 16.8%
— #2,179 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 15.1%
— #669 highest among all counties nationwide
#2. Harney County
- Median household income: $43,387
— 33.9% below state average, 33.2% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 16.7%
— #2,196 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 8.3%
— #595 highest among all counties nationwideYou may also like: Cities with the fastest-growing home prices in Oregon
#1. Gilliam County
- Median household income: $41,838
— 36.3% below state average, 35.6% below national average - Households earning over $100k: 14.2%
— #2,615 highest among all counties nationwide - Households earning less than $15k: 17.5%
— #474 highest among all counties nationwide
For a full list, click here.
Editor’s Note: KOIN 6 News edited this story originally published on Stacker.com to include only 10 counties on the list, extract specific words and add more words as necessary. This article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.