Adair County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Adair 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
Adair County Well below averageLess wealthy than 72% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Adair County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,979 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,987 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.1% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.5% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Adair County is about 18% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Adair County (5.8%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Adair County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kentucky average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Adair County, Kentucky grew by 82.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,979 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Adair County
| Metric | Adair County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.538 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,479 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,524 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.4% | 19.4% | 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 Adair County, it is 0.538, lower than Kentucky'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 12% more than women's income in Adair County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 12% wage gap accumulates to roughly $173,425 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Adair County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 24% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2017, and was narrowest at 3% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,854 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Adair County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 13.7% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 589 people are unemployed in Adair County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Adair County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Adair County, Kentucky has fallen from 12.7% to 6.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 5.7% in 2019.
Adair County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Adair County, KY is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,089 residents against a local median of 11,369. Adair County, KY's unemployment, at 6.8%, runs 34% above the 5.1% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.8%/yr against a local median of 4.6%/yr, 26% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Adair County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.2% on unemployment, so Adair County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Adair County, KY 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County, KY | 19,089 | $52,979 #2/6 | 5.8%/yr #2/6 | 6.8% #5/6 | 0.538 #4/6 |
| Russell County, KY | 18,221 | $44,784 | 4.6%/yr | 6.4% | 0.552 |
| Taylor County, KY | 26,397 | $60,539 | 8.2%/yr | 5.1% | 0.537 |
| Green County, KY | 11,369 | $46,750 | 3.4%/yr | 7.2% | 0.546 |
| Cumberland County, KY | 5,948 | $39,999 | 2.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.526 |
| Metcalfe County, KY | 10,425 | $51,015 | 5.2%/yr | 4.9% | 0.510 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Adair County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Kentucky, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Adair County, Kentucky.
How Wealthy Is Adair County, Kentucky?
Adair 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 $52,979, about 18% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Adair County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Adair County, Kentucky rose 83%, from $29,016 to $52,979. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +83% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Adair County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Adair County, Kentucky was $50,295, up 1% from $49,677 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Adair County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Adair County, Kentucky was $42,727. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $52,979.
Is it hard to find a job in Adair County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Adair County, Kentucky is 6.8%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Adair County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Adair County is 0.538. 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 Adair County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Adair County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 24% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 25% in 2017, and was narrowest at 3% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,854 since 2009.
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