Wayne County, Illinois Income Statistics
Wayne 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
Wayne County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wayne County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,247 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,299 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.2% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.3% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.8% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wayne County is about 34% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing slower in Wayne County (2.2%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Wayne 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 Wayne County, Illinois grew by 50.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,247 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wayne County
| Metric | Wayne County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.504 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,138 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,886 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.9% | 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 Wayne County, it is 0.504, 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 23% more than women's income in Wayne County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $358,820 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wayne County, Illinois has narrowed from about 20% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2013, and was narrowest at 19% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,183 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wayne County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.0% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 254 people are unemployed in Wayne County, Illinois.
The average commute time in Wayne County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wayne County, Illinois has fallen from 6.5% to 3.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 2.9% in 2019.
Wayne County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wayne County, IL is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 15,973 residents against a local median of 13,048. The measure that sets Wayne County, IL apart most is income growth: 2.2%/yr, 35% below the local median of 3.4%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.4% against a local median of 4.8%, 29% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Wayne County, IL is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.0%/yr on income growth, so Wayne County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wayne 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, IL | 15,973 | $55,247 #5/6 | 2.2%/yr #6/6 | 3.4% #2/6 | 0.504 #2/6 |
| Clay County, IL | 13,048 | $60,450 | 3.4%/yr | 4.8% | 0.512 |
| Hamilton County, IL | 7,916 | $64,899 | 4.8%/yr | 5.1% | 0.517 |
| Edwards County, IL | 6,071 | $60,682 | 3.3%/yr | 5.6% | 0.524 |
| White County, IL | 13,619 | $54,539 | 2.8%/yr | 4.0% | 0.539 |
| Richland County, IL | 15,599 | $63,325 | 4.3%/yr | 3.1% | 0.491 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wayne 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 Wayne County, Illinois.
How Rich Is Wayne County, Illinois?
Wayne 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 $55,247, about 34% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
Are incomes growing in Wayne County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wayne County, Illinois rose 50%, from $36,743 to $55,247. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Illinois as a whole: +50% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Wayne County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wayne County, Illinois was $53,288, down 1% from $54,033 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in Wayne County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wayne County, Illinois was $50,148. By 2024 it had risen 10% to $55,247.
Is it hard to find a job in Wayne County, Illinois?
Unemployment in Wayne County, Illinois is only 3.4%, 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 Wayne County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in Wayne County is 0.504. 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 Wayne County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wayne County, Illinois has narrowed from about 20% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2013, and was narrowest at 19% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,183 since 2009.
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