Boone County, Illinois Income Statistics
Boone 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
Boone County Around averageWealthier than 83% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Boone County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $85,291 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,511 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.8% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.9% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Boone County is about 1% higher than in Illinois. Income has been growing faster in Boone County (4.5%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 12% of adults in Boone County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Illinois average of 15%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Boone County, Illinois grew by 44.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $85,291 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Boone County
| Metric | Boone County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.530 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $69,560 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,490 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 28.9% | 18.8% | 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 Boone County, it is 0.530, lower than Illinois's 0.547, 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 41% more than women's income in Boone County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 41% wage gap accumulates to roughly $702,450 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Boone County, Illinois has narrowed from about 35% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2012, and was narrowest at 24% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,571 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Boone County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.4% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.6% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 2,054 people are unemployed in Boone County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Boone County is 23 minutes, about the same as in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Boone County, Illinois has fallen from 11.8% to 7.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.2% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.2% in 2019.
Boone County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Boone County, IL is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 53,226 residents against a local median of 164,349. Boone County, IL's unemployment, at 7.4%, runs 57% above the 4.7% 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: 4.5%/yr against a local median of 3.7%/yr, 22% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Boone County, IL is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 4.4% on unemployment, so Boone County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Boone County, IL has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boone County, IL | 53,226 | $85,291 #2/6 | 4.5%/yr #3/6 | 7.4% #6/6 | 0.530 #4/6 |
| Winnebago County, IL | 283,258 | $66,225 | 3.7%/yr | 7.3% | 0.533 |
| McHenry County, IL | 312,591 | $105,514 | 3.6%/yr | 4.7% | 0.521 |
| Rock County, WI | 164,349 | $75,645 | 5.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.488 |
| DeKalb County, IL | 100,702 | $71,059 | 3.0%/yr | 6.8% | 0.551 |
| Walworth County, WI | 105,657 | $82,758 | 5.0%/yr | 2.9% | 0.508 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Boone County, Illinois has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Illinois, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Boone County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Boone County, Illinois?
Boone 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 $85,291, about 1% higher than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in Boone County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Boone County, Illinois rose 44%, from $59,145 to $85,291. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Illinois as a whole: +44% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Boone County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Boone County, Illinois was $83,658, up 1% from $82,686 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Boone County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Boone County, Illinois was $70,632. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $85,291.
Is it hard to find a job in Boone County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Boone County, Illinois is 7.4%, well above the Illinois rate of 5.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Boone County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Boone County is 0.530. 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 Boone County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Boone County, Illinois has narrowed from about 35% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2012, and was narrowest at 24% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,571 since 2009.
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