Perry County, Illinois Income Statistics
Perry 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
Perry County Well below averageLess wealthy than 91% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Perry County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,094 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,993 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.8% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.8% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Perry County is about 25% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing faster in Perry County (4.8%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Perry 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 Perry County, Illinois grew by 61.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,094 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Perry County
| Metric | Perry County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.564 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,808 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,870 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.8% | 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 Perry County, it is 0.564, 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 44% more than women's income in Perry County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 44% wage gap accumulates to roughly $697,830 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Perry County, Illinois has widened from about 29% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2016, and was narrowest at 25% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,055 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Perry County widened by 2.0 points while Illinois's narrowed by 6.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Perry County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.7% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 382 people are unemployed in Perry County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Perry County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Perry County, Illinois has fallen from 8.8% to 4.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.8% in 2014.
Perry County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Perry County, IL is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 20,638 residents against a local median of 36,549. Perry County, IL's unemployment, at 4.5%, runs 21% below the 5.8% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.3% on unemployment, so Perry County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Perry County, IL has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County, IL | 20,638 | $63,094 #3/6 | 4.8%/yr #2/6 | 4.5% #2/6 | 0.564 #5/6 |
| Washington County, IL | 13,623 | $76,775 | 4.2%/yr | 4.3% | 0.490 |
| Jackson County, IL | 53,061 | $48,884 | 4.7%/yr | 7.5% | 0.588 |
| Franklin County, IL | 37,318 | $57,264 | 4.8%/yr | 7.6% | 0.537 |
| Randolph County, IL | 30,051 | $69,106 | 4.6%/yr | 5.0% | 0.555 |
| Jefferson County, IL | 36,549 | $62,660 | 4.6%/yr | 5.8% | 0.522 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Perry 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 Perry County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Perry County, Illinois?
Perry 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 $63,094, about 25% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in Perry County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Perry County, Illinois rose 61%, from $39,172 to $63,094. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +61% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Perry County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Perry County, Illinois was $59,361, up 3% from $57,510 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Perry County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Perry County, Illinois was $51,052. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $63,094.
Is it hard to find a job in Perry County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Perry County, Illinois is only 4.5%, 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 Perry County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Perry County is 0.564. 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 Perry County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Perry County, Illinois has widened from about 29% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 33% in 2016, and was narrowest at 25% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,055 since 2009.
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