Union County, Illinois Income Statistics
Union 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
Union County Well below averageLess wealthy than 79% of counties in Illinois
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Union County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,637 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,361 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.6% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.8% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.3% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Union County is about 34% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing slower in Union County (2.6%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Union 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 Union County, Illinois grew by 45.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,637 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Union County
| Metric | Union County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.554 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,017 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,871 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 15.5% | 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 Union County, it is 0.554, 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 18% more than women's income in Union County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 18% wage gap accumulates to roughly $320,110 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
The income gap between men and women in Union County, Illinois has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 15%. Over that period the gap was widest at 20% in 2019, and was narrowest at 7% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,650 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Union County widened by 0.7 points while Illinois's narrowed by 6.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Union County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.2% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 278 people are unemployed in Union County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Union County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Union County, Illinois has fallen from 10.2% to 3.9% in 2024.
Union County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, IL is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 16,997 residents against a local median of 13,376. Where Union County, IL breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 45% below the local median of 4.7%/yr at 2.6%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.9% against a local median of 5.0%, 21% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Union County, IL is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.2%/yr on income growth, so Union County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union County, IL has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, IL | 16,997 | $55,637 #3/6 | 2.6%/yr #6/6 | 3.9% #2/6 | 0.554 #3/6 |
| Pulaski County, IL | 5,015 | $42,913 | 3.5%/yr | 4.3% | 0.564 |
| Alexander County, IL | 4,873 | $48,250 | 6.7%/yr | 6.5% | 0.550 |
| Jackson County, IL | 53,061 | $48,884 | 4.7%/yr | 7.5% | 0.588 |
| Johnson County, IL | 13,376 | $63,615 | 4.7%/yr | 3.5% | 0.619 |
| Williamson County, IL | 66,874 | $65,527 | 4.6%/yr | 5.0% | 0.533 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union 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 Union County, Illinois.
How Wealthy Is Union County, Illinois?
Union 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 $55,637, about 34% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How fast is household income rising in Union County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Union County, Illinois rose 46%, from $38,159 to $55,637. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Illinois as a whole: +46% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Union County, Illinois was $56,158, up 5% from $53,425 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Union County, Illinois was $52,580. By 2024 it had risen 6% to $55,637.
Is it hard to find a job in Union County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Union County, Illinois is only 3.9%, 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 Union County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Union County is 0.554. 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 Union County, Illinois?
The income gap between men and women in Union County, Illinois has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 15%. Over that period the gap was widest at 20% in 2019, and was narrowest at 7% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,650 since 2009.
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