Decatur County, Kansas Income Statistics
Decatur 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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B
Decatur County Around averageWealthier than 73% of counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Decatur County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $54,563 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,490 | $56,052 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.7% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 11.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.8% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Decatur County is about 27% lower than in Kansas. Income has been growing slower in Decatur County (3.7%/yr) than in Kansas (4.1%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Decatur County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kansas average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Decatur County, Kansas grew by 59.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $54,563 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Decatur County
| Metric | Decatur County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.440 | 0.525 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,767 | $65,134 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $35,602 | $51,314 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 31.2% | 21.2% | 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 Decatur County, it is 0.440, lower than Kansas's 0.525, 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 45% more than women's income in Decatur County, Kansas. Over a 35-year career, a 45% wage gap accumulates to roughly $565,775 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Decatur County, Kansas has widened from about 21% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2022, and was narrowest at 3% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,167 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Decatur County widened by 9.8 points while Kansas's narrowed by 3.4 points.
Employment
| Metric | Decatur County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 15.3% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 10 | 17 | 22 |
Approximately 55 people are unemployed in Decatur County, Kansas.
The average commute time in Decatur County is 10 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Kansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Decatur County, Kansas has risen from 3.9% to 4.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.5% in 2014 and fell as low as 1.6% in 2019.
Decatur County, KS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Decatur County, KS is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 2,726 residents against a local median of 4,568. The measure that sets Decatur County, KS apart most is unemployment: 4.1%, 210% above the local median of 1.3%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.7%/yr against a local median of 4.7%/yr, 20% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Decatur County, KS reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 0.7% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Decatur County, KS, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Decatur County, KS has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County, KS | 2,726 | $54,563 #6/6 | 3.7%/yr #4/6 | 4.1% #6/6 | 0.440 #1/6 |
| Red Willow County, NE | 10,557 | $64,898 | 5.1%/yr | 1.4% | 0.524 |
| Sheridan County, KS | 2,426 | $73,598 | 4.7%/yr | 1.0% | 0.495 |
| Norton County, KS | 5,359 | $55,799 | 2.1%/yr | 1.7% | 0.492 |
| Rawlins County, KS | 2,516 | $64,387 | 3.5%/yr | 1.3% | 0.460 |
| Furnas County, NE | 4,568 | $61,822 | 5.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.502 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Decatur County, Kansas has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Kansas, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Decatur County, Kansas.
How Rich Is Decatur County, Kansas?
Decatur County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $54,563, about 27% lower than the Kansas average of $74,287.
Are incomes growing in Decatur County, Kansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Decatur County, Kansas rose 60%, from $34,166 to $54,563. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kansas as a whole: +60% against +53%.
What was the median household income in Decatur County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Decatur County, Kansas was $54,469, up 11% from $49,090 in 2022. The Kansas median that year was $72,660.
What was the median household income in Decatur County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Decatur County, Kansas was $43,792. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $54,563.
What is the Gini coefficient in Decatur County, Kansas?
The Gini coefficient in Decatur County is 0.440. 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 Decatur County, Kansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Decatur County, Kansas has widened from about 21% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2022, and was narrowest at 3% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,167 since 2009.
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