Fayette County, Iowa Income Statistics
Fayette 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
Fayette County Below averageLess wealthy than 79% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fayette County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,476 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,198 | $57,332 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.2% | 4.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.3% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.8% | 8.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fayette County is about 20% lower than in Iowa. Income has been growing slower in Fayette County (3.2%/yr) than in Iowa (4.0%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Fayette 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 Fayette County, Iowa grew by 54.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,476 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fayette County
| Metric | Fayette County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.495 | 0.510 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,525 | $66,524 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,278 | $52,524 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.5% | 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 Fayette County, it is 0.495, 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 21% more than women's income in Fayette County, Iowa. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $358,645 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Iowa has narrowed from about 30% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 14% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $799 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Fayette County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.2% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 303 people are unemployed in Fayette County, Iowa.
The average commute time in Fayette County is 16 minutes, about the same as in Iowa.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fayette County, Iowa has fallen from 5.4% to 3.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 2.3% in 2020.
Fayette County, IA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fayette County, IA is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 16,443 residents against a local median of 19,872. The measure that sets Fayette County, IA apart most is unemployment: 3.2%, 26% above the local median of 2.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $60,476 against a local median of $77,708, 22% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Fayette County, IA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.7% on unemployment, so Fayette County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fayette County, IA 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, IA | 16,443 | $60,476 #6/6 | 3.2%/yr #6/6 | 3.2% #5/6 | 0.495 #4/6 |
| Buchanan County, IA | 20,694 | $77,708 | 4.1%/yr | 2.8% | 0.472 |
| Winneshiek County, IA | 19,872 | $78,049 | 4.0%/yr | 2.3% | 0.507 |
| Bremer County, IA | 25,204 | $86,476 | 3.7%/yr | 3.3% | 0.501 |
| Clayton County, IA | 17,012 | $67,353 | 4.3%/yr | 2.5% | 0.484 |
| Chickasaw County, IA | 11,807 | $75,831 | 5.9%/yr | 1.6% | 0.468 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fayette County, Iowa has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Iowa, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Fayette County, Iowa.
How Rich Is Fayette County, Iowa?
Fayette 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 $60,476, about 20% lower than the Iowa average of $75,133.
How has median household income changed in Fayette County, Iowa?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fayette County, Iowa rose 54%, from $39,215 to $60,476. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Iowa as a whole: +54% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fayette County, Iowa was $60,076, up 6% from $56,413 in 2022. The Iowa median that year was $73,347.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fayette County, Iowa was $49,653. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $60,476.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fayette County, Iowa?
The Gini coefficient in Fayette County is 0.495. 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 Fayette County, Iowa?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Iowa has narrowed from about 30% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 14% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $799 since 2009.
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