Riley County, Kansas Income Statistics
Riley 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
Riley County Well below averageLess wealthy than 95% of counties in Kansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $62,250 | $74,287 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,788 | $56,052 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.6% | 4.1% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.5% | 11.3% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.3% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Riley County is about 16% lower than in Kansas. Income has been growing slower in Riley County (3.6%/yr) than in Kansas (4.1%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Riley 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 Riley County, Kansas grew by 65.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $62,250 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Riley County
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.543 | 0.525 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $46,371 | $65,134 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,865 | $51,314 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -3.2% | 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 Riley County, it is 0.543, higher than Kansas's 0.525, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Women's income is about 3% more than men's income in Riley County, Kansas. Over a 35-year career, a 3% wage gap accumulates to roughly $52,290 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Riley County, Kansas has narrowed from about 22% to -3% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2019 women out-earned men by 5%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $9,848 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Riley County | Kansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.2% | 3.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.2% | 11.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 17 | 22 |
Approximately 1,411 people are unemployed in Riley County, Kansas.
The average commute time in Riley County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 17 minutes in Kansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Riley County, Kansas has fallen from 3.9% to 3.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 5.0% in 2019.
Riley County, KS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Riley County, KS is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 71,946 residents against a local median of 18,445. The measure that sets Riley County, KS apart most is unemployment: 3.2%, 51% above the local median of 2.1%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.6%/yr against a local median of 4.6%/yr, 21% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Riley County, KS reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.0% on unemployment, so Riley County, KS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Riley County, KS has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Riley County, KS | 71,946 | $62,250 #5/6 | 3.6%/yr #4/6 | 3.2% #5/6 | 0.543 #6/6 |
| Geary County, KS | 35,815 | $58,879 | 3.4%/yr | 5.0% | 0.490 |
| Pottawatomie County, KS | 26,203 | $91,821 | 5.0%/yr | 2.1% | 0.515 |
| Clay County, KS | 8,048 | $65,917 | 2.8%/yr | 1.0% | 0.494 |
| Marshall County, KS | 9,993 | $67,839 | 4.7%/yr | 2.0% | 0.483 |
| Dickinson County, KS | 18,445 | $68,608 | 4.6%/yr | 2.7% | 0.475 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Riley 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 Riley County, Kansas.
How Rich Is Riley County, Kansas?
Riley 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 $62,250, about 16% lower than the Kansas average of $74,287.
How has median household income changed in Riley County, Kansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Riley County, Kansas rose 65%, from $37,673 to $62,250. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kansas as a whole: +65% against +53%.
What was the median household income in Riley County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Riley County, Kansas was $59,410, up 5% from $56,487 in 2022. The Kansas median that year was $72,660.
What was the median household income in Riley County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Riley County, Kansas was $51,171. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $62,250.
What is the Gini coefficient in Riley County, Kansas?
The Gini coefficient in Riley County is 0.543. 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 Riley County, Kansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Riley County, Kansas has narrowed from about 22% to -3% in 2024. Over that period the gap in 2019 women out-earned men by 5%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $9,848 since 2009.
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