Pope County, Illinois Income Statistics
Pope 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
Pope County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Pope County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,050 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,232 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.8% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.2% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.0% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Pope County is about 29% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing faster in Pope County (5.8%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Pope 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 Pope County, Illinois grew by 52.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,050 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Pope County
| Metric | Pope County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.533 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,704 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,374 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 40.1% | 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 Pope County, it is 0.533, 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 67% more than women's income in Pope County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 67% wage gap accumulates to roughly $921,550 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pope County, Illinois has narrowed from about 47% to 40% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,945 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Pope County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.0% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 31 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 39 people are unemployed in Pope County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Pope County is 31 minutes, longer than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Pope County, Illinois has fallen from 6.1% to 2.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.7% in 2019.
Pope County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Pope County, IL is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,739 residents against a local median of 13,376. Pope County, IL's income growth, at 5.8%/yr, runs 43% above the 4.1%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 2.8% against a local median of 3.8%, 28% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Pope County, IL is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 1.6%/yr on income growth, so Pope County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Pope 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pope County, IL | 3,739 | $60,050 #3/6 | 5.8%/yr #1/6 | 2.8% #2/6 | 0.533 #3/6 |
| Massac County, IL | 13,864 | $63,609 | 5.3%/yr | 3.8% | 0.535 |
| Livingston County, KY | 8,899 | $59,340 | 3.9%/yr | 4.2% | 0.513 |
| Hardin County, IL | 3,602 | $53,842 | 4.1%/yr | 2.8% | 0.515 |
| Johnson County, IL | 13,376 | $63,615 | 4.7%/yr | 3.5% | 0.619 |
| Saline County, IL | 23,213 | $53,513 | 3.7%/yr | 7.7% | 0.549 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pope 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 Pope County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Pope County, Illinois?
Pope 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 $60,050, about 29% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in Pope County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Pope County, Illinois rose 53%, from $39,288 to $60,050. Over the same years, income here outpaced Illinois as a whole: +53% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Pope County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Pope County, Illinois was $64,109, up 15% from $55,637 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Pope County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Pope County, Illinois was $42,419. By 2024 it had risen 42% to $60,050.
Is it hard to find a job in Pope County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Pope County, Illinois is only 2.8%, 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 Pope County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Pope County is 0.533. 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 Pope County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pope County, Illinois has narrowed from about 47% to 40% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 10% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,945 since 2009.
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