Clay County, Illinois Income Statistics
Clay 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
Clay County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Clay County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,450 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,151 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.4% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.9% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.4% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Clay County is about 28% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing slower in Clay County (3.4%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Clay 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 Clay County, Illinois grew by 64.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,450 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Clay County
| Metric | Clay County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.512 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,268 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,607 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.2% | 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 Clay County, it is 0.512, 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 34% more than women's income in Clay County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 34% wage gap accumulates to roughly $513,135 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Illinois has narrowed from about 31% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,079 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Clay County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.4% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 284 people are unemployed in Clay County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Clay County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Clay County, Illinois has fallen from 9.4% to 4.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.0% in 2012.
Clay County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Clay County, IL is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,048 residents against a local median of 15,973. Clay County, IL's unemployment, at 4.8%, runs 42% above the 3.4% 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: 3.4%/yr against a local median of 4.3%/yr, 19% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Clay County, IL reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 3.8% on unemployment, so Clay County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Clay County, IL 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clay County, IL | 13,048 | $60,450 #5/6 | 3.4%/yr #5/6 | 4.8% #5/6 | 0.512 #5/6 |
| Effingham County, IL | 34,520 | $81,070 | 5.6%/yr | 2.1% | 0.494 |
| Wayne County, IL | 15,973 | $55,247 | 2.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.504 |
| Richland County, IL | 15,599 | $63,325 | 4.3%/yr | 3.1% | 0.491 |
| Jasper County, IL | 9,180 | $74,648 | 3.6%/yr | 4.2% | 0.515 |
| Marion County, IL | 37,000 | $61,117 | 4.3%/yr | 5.9% | 0.507 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Clay County, Illinois has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Illinois, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Clay County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Clay County, Illinois?
Clay 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 $60,450, about 28% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in Clay County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Clay County, Illinois rose 64%, from $36,754 to $60,450. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +64% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Clay County, Illinois was $58,171, up 1% from $57,559 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Clay County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Clay County, Illinois was $52,340. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $60,450.
What is the Gini coefficient in Clay County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Clay County is 0.512. 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 Clay County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Clay County, Illinois has narrowed from about 31% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,079 since 2009.
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