Fayette County, Indiana Income Statistics
Fayette 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
Fayette County Well below averageLess wealthy than 89% of counties in Indiana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fayette County | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $59,417 | $71,967 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,310 | $55,757 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.5% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.3% | 10.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.6% | 8.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fayette County is about 17% lower than in Indiana. Income has been growing faster in Fayette County (4.8%/yr) than in Indiana (4.5%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Fayette County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Indiana average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Fayette County, Indiana grew by 57.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $59,417 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fayette County
| Metric | Fayette County | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.519 | 0.534 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,534 | $65,086 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $49,346 | $51,220 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.1% | 21.3% | 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 Fayette County, it is 0.519, lower than Indiana's 0.534, 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 21% more than women's income in Fayette County, Indiana. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $356,580 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Indiana has narrowed from about 28% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,732 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Fayette County | Indiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 4.3% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.9% | 10.7% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 368 people are unemployed in Fayette County, Indiana.
The average commute time in Fayette County is 20 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Indiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fayette County, Indiana has fallen from 14.2% to 3.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.4% in 2012.
Fayette County, IN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fayette County, IN is typical in size for this group, 23,334 residents against a local median of 23,020, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Fayette County, IN's unemployment, at 3.4%, runs 20% below the 4.3% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 1.7% on unemployment, so Fayette County, IN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fayette County, IN has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, IN | 23,334 | $59,417 #5/6 | 4.8%/yr #4/6 | 3.4% #1/6 | 0.519 #4/6 |
| Union County, IN | 6,985 | $76,761 | 7.0%/yr | 4.3% | 0.480 |
| Franklin County, IN | 23,020 | $76,902 | 5.1%/yr | 3.9% | 0.510 |
| Wayne County, IN | 66,397 | $56,057 | 4.4%/yr | 5.4% | 0.531 |
| Rush County, IN | 16,739 | $67,628 | 4.8%/yr | 4.3% | 0.504 |
| Henry County, IN | 48,970 | $63,356 | 4.5%/yr | 3.7% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fayette County, Indiana has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Indiana, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Fayette County, Indiana.
How Rich Is Fayette County, Indiana?
Fayette 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 $59,417, about 17% lower than the Indiana average of $71,967.
Are incomes growing in Fayette County, Indiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fayette County, Indiana rose 58%, from $37,716 to $59,417. Over the same years, income here outpaced Indiana as a whole: +58% against +52%.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fayette County, Indiana was $56,400, up 5% from $53,691 in 2022. The Indiana median that year was $70,115.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fayette County, Indiana was $48,261. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $59,417.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fayette County, Indiana?
The Gini coefficient in Fayette County is 0.519. 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 Fayette County, Indiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Indiana has narrowed from about 28% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,732 since 2009.
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