Mason County, Illinois Income Statistics
Mason 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
Mason County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Mason County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $62,566 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,222 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.3% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.9% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Mason County is about 26% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing faster in Mason County (4.6%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Mason 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 Mason County, Illinois grew by 44.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $62,566 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Mason County
| Metric | Mason County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.513 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,649 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,762 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.4% | 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 Mason County, it is 0.513, 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 Mason County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 34% wage gap accumulates to roughly $556,045 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mason County, Illinois has narrowed from about 27% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016, and was narrowest at 23% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,933 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Mason County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.2% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 276 people are unemployed in Mason County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Mason County is 28 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Mason County, Illinois has fallen from 8.1% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.8% in 2013.
Mason County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Mason County, IL is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 12,741 residents against a local median of 33,018. Where Mason County, IL breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 30% above the local median of 3.6%/yr at 4.6%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $62,566 against a local median of $75,401, 17% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while median household income runs behind it, so Mason County, IL is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 1.1%/yr on income growth, so Mason County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Mason County, IL has the highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County, IL | 12,741 | $62,566 #5/6 | 4.6%/yr #1/6 | 4.9% #4/6 | 0.513 #2/6 |
| Menard County, IL | 12,095 | $84,868 | 4.4%/yr | 3.5% | 0.496 |
| Fulton County, IL | 33,018 | $60,876 | 3.5%/yr | 6.7% | 0.542 |
| Cass County, IL | 12,785 | $67,734 | 4.2%/yr | 4.2% | 0.538 |
| Tazewell County, IL | 130,271 | $77,722 | 3.3%/yr | 3.6% | 0.517 |
| Sangamon County, IL | 194,875 | $75,401 | 3.6%/yr | 5.4% | 0.517 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Mason 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 Mason County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Mason County, Illinois?
Mason 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 $62,566, about 26% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in Mason County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Mason County, Illinois rose 45%, from $43,165 to $62,566. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Illinois as a whole: +45% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Mason County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Mason County, Illinois was $62,739, up 7% from $58,422 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Mason County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Mason County, Illinois was $51,154. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $62,566.
What is the Gini coefficient in Mason County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Mason County is 0.513. 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 Mason County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Mason County, Illinois has narrowed from about 27% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016, and was narrowest at 23% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,933 since 2009.
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