Fayette County, Illinois Income Statistics
Fayette 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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D
Fayette County Well below averageLess wealthy than 89% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fayette County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,976 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,401 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.4% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.6% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fayette County is about 27% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing slower in Fayette County (4.0%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Fayette 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 Fayette County, Illinois grew by 53.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,976 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fayette County
| Metric | Fayette County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,943 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,607 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.3% | 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 Fayette County, it is 0.545, about the same as Illinois's 0.547, 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 32% more than women's income in Fayette County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 32% wage gap accumulates to roughly $501,760 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
The income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Illinois has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 24%. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2016, and was narrowest at 23% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,303 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Fayette County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.1% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 359 people are unemployed in Fayette County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Fayette County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fayette County, Illinois has fallen from 8.4% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.1% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2023.
Fayette County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fayette County, IL is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 21,314 residents against a local median of 27,942. The measure that sets Fayette County, IL apart most is unemployment: 3.8%, 17% below the local median of 4.5%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.8% on unemployment, so Fayette County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fayette County, IL has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, IL | 21,314 | $60,976 #6/6 | 4.0%/yr #5/6 | 3.8% #3/6 | 0.545 #4/6 |
| Marion County, IL | 37,000 | $61,117 | 4.3%/yr | 5.9% | 0.507 |
| Bond County, IL | 16,715 | $67,347 | 3.0%/yr | 4.5% | 0.572 |
| Effingham County, IL | 34,520 | $81,070 | 5.6%/yr | 2.1% | 0.494 |
| Shelby County, IL | 20,718 | $72,365 | 5.2%/yr | 3.0% | 0.478 |
| Montgomery County, IL | 27,942 | $63,489 | 4.4%/yr | 4.7% | 0.557 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fayette County, Illinois has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Illinois, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Fayette County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Fayette County, Illinois?
Fayette County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $60,976, about 27% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
Are incomes growing in Fayette County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fayette County, Illinois rose 54%, from $39,673 to $60,976. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +54% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fayette County, Illinois was $57,050, up 9% from $52,496 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fayette County, Illinois was $45,826. By 2024 it had risen 33% to $60,976.
Is it hard to find a job in Fayette County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Fayette County, Illinois is only 3.8%, well below the Illinois rate of 5.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fayette County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Fayette County is 0.545. 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 Fayette County, Illinois?
The income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Illinois has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 24%. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2016, and was narrowest at 23% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,303 since 2009.
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