Cook County, Illinois Income Statistics
Cook 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
Cook County Around averageWealthier than 77% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Cook County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $84,208 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $67,301 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.9% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 16.5% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 15.2% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Cook County is about the same as in Illinois. Income has been growing faster in Cook County (4.9%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 16% of adults in Cook County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Illinois average of 15%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Cook County, Illinois grew by 55.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $84,208 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Cook County
| Metric | Cook County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.555 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $75,352 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $65,002 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.7% | 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 Cook County, it is 0.555, higher than Illinois's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Cook County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $362,250 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cook County, Illinois has narrowed from about 17% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2010, and was narrowest at 13% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,774 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Cook County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 18.9% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 195,706 people are unemployed in Cook County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Cook County is 30 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Cook County, Illinois has fallen from 10.8% to 7.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.9% in 2023.
Cook County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Cook County, IL is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 5,180,889 residents against a local median of 701,595. Where Cook County, IL breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 42% above the local median of 4.9% at 7.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $84,208 against a local median of $109,769, 23% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Cook County, IL reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.7% on unemployment, so Cook County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Cook 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cook County, IL | 5,180,889 | $84,208 #4/6 | 4.9%/yr #1/6 | 7.0% #6/6 | 0.555 #6/6 |
| Lake County, IL | 714,026 | $111,219 | 4.1%/yr | 5.0% | 0.548 |
| DuPage County, IL | 929,812 | $112,172 | 4.0%/yr | 4.9% | 0.533 |
| Lake County, IN | 498,291 | $71,540 | 4.4%/yr | 6.1% | 0.553 |
| Will County, IL | 701,595 | $109,769 | 4.4%/yr | 4.9% | 0.538 |
| Kenosha County, WI | 168,436 | $81,631 | 4.8%/yr | 4.4% | 0.514 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Cook 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 Cook County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Cook County, Illinois?
Cook 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 $84,208, close to the Illinois average of $84,042.
How fast is household income rising in Cook County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Cook County, Illinois rose 55%, from $54,187 to $84,208. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +55% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Cook County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Cook County, Illinois was $82,179, up 5% from $78,621 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Cook County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Cook County, Illinois was $68,499. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $84,208.
What is the Gini coefficient in Cook County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Cook County is 0.555. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Cook County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Cook County, Illinois has narrowed from about 17% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2010, and was narrowest at 13% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,774 since 2009.
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