Norton County, Kansas Income Statistics
Norton 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
Norton County Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Norton County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,799 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,417 | $56,052 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.1% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.5% | 11.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.3% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Norton County is about 25% lower than in Kansas. Income has been growing slower in Norton County (2.1%/yr) than in Kansas (4.1%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Norton 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 Norton County, Kansas grew by 59.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,799 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Norton County
| Metric | Norton County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.492 | 0.525 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,124 | $65,134 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $36,323 | $51,314 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 31.6% | 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 Norton County, it is 0.492, 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 46% more than women's income in Norton County, Kansas. Over a 35-year career, a 46% wage gap accumulates to roughly $588,035 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Norton County, Kansas has widened from about 29% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2015, and in 2019 women out-earned men by 9%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,447 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Norton County widened by 2.4 points while Kansas's narrowed by 3.4 points.
Employment
| Metric | Norton County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.7% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.9% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 7 | 17 | 22 |
Approximately 34 people are unemployed in Norton County, Kansas.
The average commute time in Norton County is 7 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Kansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Norton County, Kansas has fallen from 2.4% to 1.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 3.2% in 2020 and fell as low as 1.0% in 2023.
Norton County, KS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Norton County, KS is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 5,359 residents against a local median of 2,847. Where Norton County, KS breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 48% below the local median of 3.2% at 1.7%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.1%/yr against a local median of 3.8%/yr, 45% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Norton County, KS is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 4.0% on unemployment, so Norton County, KS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Norton County, KS has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norton County, KS | 5,359 | $55,799 #4/6 | 2.1%/yr #5/6 | 1.7% #3/6 | 0.492 #4/6 |
| Furnas County, NE | 4,568 | $61,822 | 5.6%/yr | 1.0% | 0.502 |
| Graham County, KS | 2,389 | $50,500 | 1.7%/yr | 5.0% | 0.469 |
| Decatur County, KS | 2,726 | $54,563 | 3.7%/yr | 4.1% | 0.440 |
| Phillips County, KS | 4,813 | $62,484 | 3.8%/yr | 3.2% | 0.459 |
| Harlan County, NE | 2,847 | $69,654 | 5.8%/yr | 1.3% | 0.533 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Norton County, Kansas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Kansas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Norton County, Kansas.
How Rich Is Norton County, Kansas?
Norton 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 $55,799, about 25% lower than the Kansas average of $74,287.
How fast is household income rising in Norton County, Kansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Norton County, Kansas rose 60%, from $34,920 to $55,799. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kansas as a whole: +60% against +53%.
What was the median household income in Norton County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Norton County, Kansas was $50,395, down 1% from $50,751 in 2022. The Kansas median that year was $72,660.
What was the median household income in Norton County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Norton County, Kansas was $48,554. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $55,799.
How strong is the job market in Norton County, Kansas?
Unemployment in Norton County, Kansas is only 1.7%, well below the Kansas rate of 3.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Norton County, Kansas?
The Gini coefficient in Norton County is 0.492. 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 Norton County, Kansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Norton County, Kansas has widened from about 29% to 32% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2015, and in 2019 women out-earned men by 9%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,447 since 2009.
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