(Stacker) – Americans on the whole were doing well financially heading into 2020, with major markers like unemployment reaching 50-year lows. The pandemic changed all that: During the second quarter of the 2020 fiscal year, our nation’s real GDP fell by a whopping 31.4%, a number that hasn’t been seen since the Great Depression.
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%.
Where you live can make a big impact on your financial situation. The median household in the highest earning county in the U.S. earns $147,111, while the lowest earns $22,292. Stacker compiled a list of the lowest-earning counties in California using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the Census’ 2020 5-year estimate median household income.
#25. Kings County
– Median household income: $61,556
— 21.8% below state average, 5.3% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 24.9%
— #897 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 9.0%
— #2,359 highest among all counties nationwide
#24. Tuolumne County
– Median household income: $60,509
— 23.1% below state average, 6.9% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 28.7%
— #564 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 12.0%
— #2,291 highest among all counties nationwide
#23. Colusa County
– Median household income: $59,427
— 24.5% below state average, 8.6% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 23.7%
— #1,030 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 11.5%
— #2,194 highest among all counties nationwide
#22. Yuba County
– Median household income: $59,424
— 24.5% below state average, 8.6% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 26.7%
— #717 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 11.5%
— #2,193 highest among all counties nationwide
#21. Inyo County
– Median household income: $59,296
— 24.6% below state average, 8.8% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 23.4%
— #1,072 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 9.9%
— #2,184 highest among all counties nationwide
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#20. Plumas County
– Median household income: $57,233
— 27.3% below state average, 11.9% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 26.5%
— #733 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 11.8%
— #2,012 highest among all counties nationwide
#19. Shasta County
– Median household income: $57,139
— 27.4% below state average, 12.1% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 24.5%
— #932 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 11.9%
— #1,999 highest among all counties nationwide
#18. Fresno County
– Median household income: $57,109
— 27.4% below state average, 12.1% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 26.2%
— #763 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 12.1%
— #1,993 highest among all counties nationwide
#17. Lassen County
– Median household income: $56,971
— 27.6% below state average, 12.3% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 22.4%
— #1,216 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 8.7%
— #1,979 highest among all counties nationwide
#16. Merced County
– Median household income: $56,330
— 28.4% below state average, 13.3% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 23.3%
— #1,080 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 10.7%
— #1,924 highest among all counties nationwide
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#15. Butte County
– Median household income: $54,972
— 30.1% below state average, 15.4% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 25.9%
— #781 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 12.9%
— #1,798 highest among all counties nationwide
#14. Kern County
– Median household income: $54,851
— 30.3% below state average, 15.6% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 24.2%
— #968 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 12.3%
— #1,782 highest among all counties nationwide
#13. Mendocino County
– Median household income: $52,915
— 32.7% below state average, 18.6% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 23.6%
— #1,039 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 12.0%
— #1,582 highest among all counties nationwide
#12. Tulare County
– Median household income: $52,534
— 33.2% below state average, 19.2% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 22.1%
— #1,251 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 11.6%
— #1,547 highest among all counties nationwide
#11. Sierra County
– Median household income: $52,103
— 33.8% below state average, 19.8% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 22.4%
— #1,225 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 12.5%
— #1,485 highest among all counties nationwide
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#10. Glenn County
– Median household income: $51,682
— 34.3% below state average, 20.5% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 19.9%
— #1,626 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 13.8%
— #1,418 highest among all counties nationwide
#9. Modoc County
– Median household income: $51,250
— 34.9% below state average, 21.1% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 14.3%
— #2,606 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 9.9%
— #1,357 highest among all counties nationwide
#8. Mariposa County
– Median household income: $50,960
— 35.2% below state average, 21.6% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 18.2%
— #1,933 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 11.7%
— #1,312 highest among all counties nationwide
#7. Del Norte County
– Median household income: $49,981
— 36.5% below state average, 23.1% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 21.9%
— #1,281 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 14.2%
— #1,203 highest among all counties nationwide
#6. Lake County
– Median household income: $49,254
— 37.4% below state average, 24.2% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 21.5%
— #1,352 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 13.8%
— #1,126 highest among all counties nationwide
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#5. Humboldt County
– Median household income: $49,235
— 37.4% below state average, 24.2% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 21.7%
— #1,324 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 14.3%
— #1,123 highest among all counties nationwide
#4. Tehama County
– Median household income: $48,895
— 37.8% below state average, 24.8% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 19.5%
— #1,690 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 13.5%
— #1,084 highest among all counties nationwide
#3. Siskiyou County
– Median household income: $47,403
— 39.7% below state average, 27.1% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 18.3%
— #1,902 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 13.5%
— #948 highest among all counties nationwide
#2. Imperial County
– Median household income: $46,222
— 41.2% below state average, 28.9% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 19.4%
— #1,721 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 16.1%
— #835 highest among all counties nationwide
#1. Trinity County
– Median household income: $41,780
— 46.9% below state average, 35.7% below national average
– Households earning over $100k: 15.1%
— #2,482 highest among all counties nationwide
– Households earning less than $15k: 18.1%
— #469 highest among all counties nationwide
