Monroe County, Alabama Income Statistics
Monroe 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
Monroe County Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Alabama
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Monroe County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $42,532 | $64,544 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,918 | $52,756 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 4.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.8% | 9.6% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.7% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Monroe County is about 34% lower than in Alabama. Income has been growing faster in Monroe County (5.2%/yr) than in Alabama (4.7%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Monroe County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Alabama average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Monroe County, Alabama grew by 42.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $42,532 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Monroe County
| Metric | Monroe County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.575 | 0.560 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,012 | $62,840 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $36,895 | $47,036 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 31.7% | 25.1% | 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 Monroe County, it is 0.575, higher than Alabama's 0.560, 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 46% more than women's income in Monroe County, Alabama. Over a 35-year career, a 46% wage gap accumulates to roughly $599,095 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Monroe County, Alabama has widened from about 31% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2019, and was narrowest at 25% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,272 since 2009.
Against the trend: the pay gap in Monroe County widened by 0.9 points while Alabama's narrowed by 1.8 points.
Employment
| Metric | Monroe County | Alabama Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.2% | 4.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 3.4% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 738 people are unemployed in Monroe County, Alabama.
The average commute time in Monroe County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Alabama.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Monroe County, Alabama has fallen from 13.2% to 10.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2015.
Monroe County, AL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Monroe County, AL is typical in size for this group, 19,388 residents against a local median of 18,630, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Monroe County, AL sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 12% above the local median at 10.2% against 9.2%. Monroe County, AL has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, AL | 19,388 | $42,532 #4/6 | 5.2%/yr #3/6 | 10.2% #5/6 | 0.575 #4/6 |
| Conecuh County, AL | 11,275 | $42,005 | 5.7%/yr | 8.7% | 0.579 |
| Wilcox County, AL | 10,172 | $40,567 | 6.5%/yr | 11.8% | 0.556 |
| Clarke County, AL | 22,543 | $48,885 | 5.0%/yr | 9.2% | 0.563 |
| Escambia County, AL | 36,629 | $48,221 | 5.1%/yr | 10.0% | 0.597 |
| Butler County, AL | 18,630 | $44,776 | 3.4%/yr | 6.5% | 0.554 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Monroe County, Alabama has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Alabama, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Monroe County, Alabama.
How Rich Is Monroe County, Alabama?
Monroe 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 $42,532, about 34% lower than the Alabama average of $64,544.
How has median household income changed in Monroe County, Alabama?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Monroe County, Alabama rose 43%, from $29,790 to $42,532. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Alabama as a whole: +43% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Monroe County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Monroe County, Alabama was $40,218, up 1% from $39,979 in 2022. The Alabama median that year was $62,326.
What was the median household income in Monroe County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Monroe County, Alabama was $33,340. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $42,532.
Is it hard to find a job in Monroe County, Alabama?
Unemployment in Monroe County, Alabama is 10.2%, well above the Alabama rate of 4.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Monroe County, Alabama?
The Gini coefficient in Monroe County is 0.575. 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 Monroe County, Alabama?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Monroe County, Alabama has widened from about 31% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2019, and was narrowest at 25% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,272 since 2009.
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