Wapello County, Iowa Income Statistics
Wapello 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
Wapello County Below averageLess wealthy than 93% of counties in Iowa
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wapello County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $64,636 | $75,133 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,734 | $57,332 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.5% | 4.0% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.9% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.2% | 8.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wapello County is about 14% lower than in Iowa. Income has been growing faster in Wapello County (5.5%/yr) than in Iowa (4.0%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Wapello 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 Wapello County, Iowa grew by 68.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $64,636 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wapello County
| Metric | Wapello County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.513 | 0.510 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $60,284 | $66,524 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,652 | $52,524 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.6% | 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 Wapello County, it is 0.513, 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 29% more than women's income in Wapello County, Iowa. Over a 35-year career, a 29% wage gap accumulates to roughly $477,120 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wapello County, Iowa has narrowed from about 25% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and was narrowest at 17% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,040 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wapello County | Iowa Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3% | 3.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.5% | 11.3% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 740 people are unemployed in Wapello County, Iowa.
The average commute time in Wapello County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Iowa.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wapello County, Iowa has fallen from 8.2% to 4.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.7% in 2023.
Wapello County, IA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wapello County, IA is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 35,362 residents against a local median of 9,157. Wapello County, IA's unemployment, at 4.3%, runs 22% above the 3.5% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.5%/yr against a local median of 4.7%/yr, 17% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Wapello County, IA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.2% on unemployment, so Wapello County, IA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wapello County, IA has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wapello County, IA | 35,362 | $64,636 #4/6 | 5.5%/yr #2/6 | 4.3% #4/6 | 0.513 #4/6 |
| Davis County, IA | 9,157 | $76,948 | 5.7%/yr | 2.7% | 0.532 |
| Mahaska County, IA | 22,021 | $71,408 | 4.7%/yr | 3.5% | 0.508 |
| Keokuk County, IA | 7,337 | $61,530 | 4.2%/yr | 4.5% | 0.480 |
| Monroe County, IA | 7,513 | $70,943 | 5.4%/yr | 3.1% | 0.490 |
| Jefferson County, IA | 15,705 | $60,987 | 3.9%/yr | 8.0% | 0.539 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wapello County, Iowa has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Iowa, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Wapello County, Iowa.
How Rich Is Wapello County, Iowa?
Wapello 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 $64,636, about 14% lower than the Iowa average of $75,133.
How fast is household income rising in Wapello County, Iowa?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wapello County, Iowa rose 68%, from $38,468 to $64,636. Over the same years, income here outpaced Iowa as a whole: +68% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Wapello County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wapello County, Iowa was $60,039, up 6% from $56,694 in 2022. The Iowa median that year was $73,347.
What was the median household income in Wapello County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wapello County, Iowa was $46,595. By 2024 it had risen 39% to $64,636.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wapello County, Iowa?
The Gini coefficient in Wapello County is 0.513. 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 Wapello County, Iowa?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wapello County, Iowa has narrowed from about 25% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2010, and was narrowest at 17% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,040 since 2009.
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