Cedar County, Iowa Income Statistics
Cedar 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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B
Cedar County Around averageWealthier than 90% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Cedar County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $80,972 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,988 | $57,332 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.7% | 4.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.2% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.6% | 8.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Cedar County is about 8% higher than in Iowa. Income has been growing slower in Cedar County (3.7%/yr) than in Iowa (4.0%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Cedar County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Iowa average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Cedar County, Iowa grew by 55.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $80,972 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Cedar County
| Metric | Cedar County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.482 | 0.510 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $69,261 | $66,524 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,242 | $52,524 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.3% | 21.0% | 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 Cedar County, it is 0.482, lower than Iowa's 0.510, 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 44% more than women's income in Cedar County, Iowa. Over a 35-year career, a 44% wage gap accumulates to roughly $735,665 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cedar County, Iowa has widened from about 25% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 20% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $10,520 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Cedar County widened by 5.8 points while Iowa's narrowed by 3.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Cedar County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.2% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.1% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 218 people are unemployed in Cedar County, Iowa.
The average commute time in Cedar County is 23 minutes, longer than the 16 minutes in Iowa.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Cedar County, Iowa has fallen from 3.5% to 2.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 4.1% in 2012.
Cedar County, IA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Cedar County, IA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 18,349 residents against a local median of 156,634. The measure that sets Cedar County, IA apart most is unemployment: 2.2%, 37% below the local median of 3.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves sit within 0.6% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Cedar County, IA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Cedar County, IA has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cedar County, IA | 18,349 | $80,972 #1/6 | 3.7%/yr #2/6 | 2.2% #1/6 | 0.482 #1/6 |
| Muscatine County, IA | 42,559 | $69,993 | 2.8%/yr | 3.2% | 0.503 |
| Jones County, IA | 20,896 | $73,384 | 3.6%/yr | 3.5% | 0.509 |
| Johnson County, IA | 156,634 | $74,948 | 3.4%/yr | 3.8% | 0.552 |
| Scott County, IA | 174,608 | $78,775 | 4.2%/yr | 3.6% | 0.522 |
| Linn County, IA | 230,016 | $78,016 | 3.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.504 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cedar County, Iowa has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Iowa, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Cedar County, Iowa.
How Rich Is Cedar County, Iowa?
Cedar County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $80,972, about 8% higher than the Iowa average of $75,133.
How fast is household income rising in Cedar County, Iowa?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Cedar County, Iowa rose 56%, from $52,002 to $80,972. Over the same years, income here kept pace with Iowa as a whole: +56% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Cedar County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Cedar County, Iowa was $80,964, up 5% from $77,354 in 2022. The Iowa median that year was $73,347.
What was the median household income in Cedar County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Cedar County, Iowa was $69,345. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $80,972.
Is it hard to find a job in Cedar County, Iowa?
Unemployment in Cedar County, Iowa is only 2.2%, well below the Iowa rate of 3.6%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Cedar County, Iowa?
The Gini coefficient in Cedar County is 0.482. 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 Cedar County, Iowa?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cedar County, Iowa has widened from about 25% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 20% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $10,520 since 2009.
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