White County, Illinois Income Statistics
White 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
White County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,539 | $84,042 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,132 | $64,565 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.8% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.6% | 15.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.8% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in White County is about 35% lower than in Illinois. Income has been growing slower in White County (2.8%/yr) than in Illinois (4.5%/yr).
About 7% of adults in White 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 White County, Illinois grew by 36.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,539 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in White County
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.539 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,435 | $73,933 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,365 | $60,067 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 19.6% | 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 White County, it is 0.539, 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 24% more than women's income in White County, Illinois. Over a 35-year career, a 24% wage gap accumulates to roughly $387,450 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in White County, Illinois has narrowed from about 39% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 13% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,298 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | White County | Illinois Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0% | 5.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.8% | 15.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 23 | 22 |
Approximately 236 people are unemployed in White County, Illinois.
The average commute time in White County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 23 minutes in Illinois.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in White County, Illinois has fallen from 7.4% to 4.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.8% in 2015 and fell as low as 3.5% in 2022.
White County, IL Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
White County, IL is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,619 residents against a local median of 7,916. White County, IL's income growth, at 2.8%/yr, runs 26% below the 3.8%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.0% against a local median of 5.1%, 23% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so White County, IL is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.6%/yr on income growth, so White County, IL sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. White County, IL has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White County, IL | 13,619 | $54,539 #6/6 | 2.8%/yr #5/6 | 4.0% #3/6 | 0.539 #6/6 |
| Posey County, IN | 25,116 | $80,859 | 3.8%/yr | 1.8% | 0.515 |
| Gallatin County, IL | 4,818 | $59,349 | 4.7%/yr | 9.2% | 0.510 |
| Edwards County, IL | 6,071 | $60,682 | 3.3%/yr | 5.6% | 0.524 |
| Hamilton County, IL | 7,916 | $64,899 | 4.8%/yr | 5.1% | 0.517 |
| Wayne County, IL | 15,973 | $55,247 | 2.2%/yr | 3.4% | 0.504 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, White 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 White County, Illinois.
How Rich Is White County, Illinois?
White 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 $54,539, about 35% lower than the Illinois average of $84,042.
How has median household income changed in White County, Illinois?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in White County, Illinois rose 36%, from $40,049 to $54,539. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Illinois as a whole: +36% against +52%.
What was the median household income in White County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in White County, Illinois was $53,314, down 3% from $54,988 in 2022. The Illinois median that year was $82,182.
What was the median household income in White County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in White County, Illinois was $47,835. By 2024 it had risen 14% to $54,539.
How strong is the job market in White County, Illinois?
Unemployment in White County, Illinois is only 4.0%, 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 White County, Illinois?
The Gini coefficient in White County is 0.539. 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 White County, Illinois?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in White County, Illinois has narrowed from about 39% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 13% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,298 since 2009.
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