McDonough County, Illinois Income Statistics
McDonough 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
McDonough County Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,356 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,449 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.4% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.7% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.5% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in McDonough County is about 35% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing slower in McDonough County (3.4%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 7% of adults in McDonough 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 McDonough County, Illinois grew by 66.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,356 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in McDonough County
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.553 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,351 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,075 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.9% | 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 McDonough County, it is 0.553, 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 22% more than women's income in McDonough County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $359,660 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McDonough County, Illinois has narrowed from about 30% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,440 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | McDonough County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.9% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 1,108 people are unemployed in McDonough County, Illinois.
The average commute time in McDonough County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in McDonough County, Illinois has fallen from 9.1% to 7.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.4% in 2014 and fell as low as 7.4% in 2019.
McDonough County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
McDonough County, IL is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 26,917 residents against a local median of 16,447. Where McDonough County, IL breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 59% above the local median of 5.0% at 7.9%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $54,356 against a local median of $64,892, 16% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: McDonough County, IL reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.2% on unemployment, so McDonough County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. McDonough 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonough County, IL | 26,917 | $54,356 #6/6 | 3.4%/yr #6/6 | 7.9% #6/6 | 0.553 #5/6 |
| Schuyler County, IL | 6,786 | $64,892 | 3.9%/yr | 5.0% | 0.556 |
| Warren County, IL | 16,447 | $68,384 | 5.7%/yr | 3.6% | 0.538 |
| Henderson County, IL | 6,193 | $62,794 | 4.0%/yr | 7.8% | 0.488 |
| Fulton County, IL | 33,018 | $60,876 | 3.5%/yr | 6.7% | 0.542 |
| Hancock County, IL | 17,281 | $65,991 | 3.5%/yr | 4.2% | 0.514 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, McDonough 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 McDonough County, Illinois.
How Rich Is McDonough County, Illinois?
McDonough 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 $54,356, about 35% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How fast is household income rising in McDonough County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in McDonough County, Illinois rose 67%, from $32,585 to $54,356. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +67% against +52%.
What was the median household income in McDonough County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in McDonough County, Illinois was $50,434, up 3% from $49,127 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in McDonough County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in McDonough County, Illinois was $43,783. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $54,356.
How strong is the job market in McDonough County, Illinois?
Unemployment in McDonough County, Illinois is 7.9%, well above the Illinois rate of 5.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in McDonough County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in McDonough County is 0.553. 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 McDonough County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McDonough County, Illinois has narrowed from about 30% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,440 since 2009.
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