Mahaska County, Iowa Income Statistics
Mahaska 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
Mahaska County Below averageLess wealthy than 86% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $71,408 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $52,378 | $57,332 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 4.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.2% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.8% | 8.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mahaska County is about 5% lower than in Iowa. Income has been growing faster in Mahaska County (4.7%/yr) than in Iowa (4.0%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Mahaska 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 Mahaska County, Iowa grew by 59.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $71,408 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mahaska County
| Metric | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.508 | 0.510 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,332 | $66,524 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,427 | $52,524 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 27.4% | 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 Mahaska County, it is 0.508, about the same as Iowa's 0.510, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 38% more than women's income in Mahaska County, Iowa. Over a 35-year career, a 38% wage gap accumulates to roughly $626,675 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mahaska County, Iowa has widened from about 26% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and was narrowest at 20% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,221 since 2009.
Against the trend: the pay gap in Mahaska County widened by 1.2 points while Iowa's narrowed by 3.3 points.
Employment
| Metric | Mahaska County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.5% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.5% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 398 people are unemployed in Mahaska County, Iowa.
The average commute time in Mahaska County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Iowa.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mahaska County, Iowa has fallen from 7.5% to 3.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.2% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.2% in 2020.
Mahaska County, IA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Mahaska County, IA is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 22,021 residents against a local median of 18,545. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Mahaska County, IA an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 11% above the local median at 4.7%/yr against 4.2%/yr. Mahaska County, IA has the 3rd highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mahaska County, IA | 22,021 | $71,408 #2/6 | 4.7%/yr #3/6 | 3.5% #3/6 | 0.508 #3/6 |
| Poweshiek County, IA | 18,545 | $68,360 | 3.7%/yr | 3.6% | 0.542 |
| Monroe County, IA | 7,513 | $70,943 | 5.4%/yr | 3.1% | 0.490 |
| Wapello County, IA | 35,362 | $64,636 | 5.5%/yr | 4.3% | 0.513 |
| Marion County, IA | 33,642 | $79,418 | 4.0%/yr | 2.2% | 0.512 |
| Keokuk County, IA | 7,337 | $61,530 | 4.2%/yr | 4.5% | 0.480 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mahaska 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 Mahaska County, Iowa.
How Rich Is Mahaska County, Iowa?
Mahaska 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 $71,408, about 5% lower than the Iowa average of $75,133.
Are incomes growing in Mahaska County, Iowa?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mahaska County, Iowa rose 60%, from $44,753 to $71,408. Over the same years, income here outpaced Iowa as a whole: +60% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Mahaska County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mahaska County, Iowa was $69,492, up 9% from $64,005 in 2022. The Iowa median that year was $73,347.
What was the median household income in Mahaska County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mahaska County, Iowa was $56,979. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $71,408.
What is the Gini coefficient in Mahaska County, Iowa?
The Gini coefficient in Mahaska County is 0.508. 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 Mahaska County, Iowa?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mahaska County, Iowa has widened from about 26% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and was narrowest at 20% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,221 since 2009.
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