Jackson County, Illinois Income Statistics
Jackson 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
Jackson County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Jackson County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $48,884 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,241 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.7% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.6% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.9% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Jackson County is about 42% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing faster in Jackson County (4.7%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Jackson 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 Jackson County, Illinois grew by 65.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $48,884 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Jackson County
| Metric | Jackson County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.588 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $58,500 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,556 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.5% | 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 Jackson County, it is 0.588, higher than Illinois's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 34% more than women's income in Jackson County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 34% wage gap accumulates to roughly $523,040 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jackson County, Illinois has narrowed from about 29% to 26% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 16% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,478 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Jackson County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.8% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,864 people are unemployed in Jackson County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Jackson County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Jackson County, Illinois has fallen from 9.3% to 7.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2015 and fell as low as 7.2% in 2023.
Jackson County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Jackson County, IL is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 53,061 residents against a local median of 20,638. Jackson County, IL's unemployment, at 7.5%, runs 64% above the 4.5% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $48,884 against a local median of $63,583, 23% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Jackson County, IL reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.7% on unemployment, so Jackson County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jackson 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, IL | 53,061 | $48,884 #6/6 | 4.7%/yr #2/6 | 7.5% #6/6 | 0.588 #6/6 |
| Perry County, IL | 20,638 | $63,094 | 4.8%/yr | 4.5% | 0.564 |
| Union County, IL | 16,997 | $55,637 | 2.6%/yr | 3.9% | 0.554 |
| Perry County, MO | 18,976 | $63,583 | 2.3%/yr | 4.9% | 0.515 |
| Williamson County, IL | 66,874 | $65,527 | 4.6%/yr | 5.0% | 0.533 |
| Cape Girardeau County, MO | 82,735 | $67,617 | 4.2%/yr | 2.3% | 0.541 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jackson 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 Jackson County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Jackson County, Illinois?
Jackson 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 $48,884, about 42% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in Jackson County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Jackson County, Illinois rose 66%, from $29,475 to $48,884. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +66% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Jackson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Jackson County, Illinois was $45,507, up 1% from $44,844 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Jackson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Jackson County, Illinois was $39,758. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $48,884.
How strong is the job market in Jackson County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Jackson County, Illinois is 7.5%, well above the Illinois rate of 5.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Jackson County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Jackson County is 0.588. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Jackson County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jackson County, Illinois has narrowed from about 29% to 26% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 16% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,478 since 2009.
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