Breathitt County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Breathitt 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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F
Breathitt County Well below averageLess wealthy than 88% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Breathitt County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $34,813 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,632 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.5% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.1% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Breathitt County is about 46% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Breathitt County (4.4%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Breathitt 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 Breathitt County, Kentucky grew by 78.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $34,813 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Breathitt County
| Metric | Breathitt County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.568 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,138 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,218 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.6% | 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 Breathitt County, it is 0.568, higher than Kentucky's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 26% more than women's income in Breathitt County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $347,200 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Breathitt County, Kentucky has widened from about 15% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,899 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Breathitt County widened by 6.0 points while Kentucky's narrowed by 5.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Breathitt County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.3% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.0% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 431 people are unemployed in Breathitt County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Breathitt County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Breathitt County, Kentucky has fallen from 9.8% to 9.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.8% in 2013 and fell as low as 8.9% in 2022.
Breathitt County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Breathitt County, KY is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,276 residents against a local median of 7,339. Breathitt County, KY sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 12% above the local median at 4.4%/yr against 3.9%/yr. Breathitt County, KY has the 2nd highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breathitt County, KY | 13,276 | $34,813 #3/6 | 4.4%/yr #2/6 | 9.3% #4/6 | 0.568 #3/6 |
| Wolfe County, KY | 6,443 | $30,492 | 4.1%/yr | 13.1% | 0.564 |
| Perry County, KY | 27,499 | $42,766 | 3.9%/yr | 5.8% | 0.582 |
| Magoffin County, KY | 11,344 | $33,230 | 1.6%/yr | 9.0% | 0.595 |
| Owsley County, KY | 3,971 | $23,922 | 1.6%/yr | 12.6% | 0.564 |
| Lee County, KY | 7,339 | $37,016 | 7.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.592 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Breathitt County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Kentucky, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Breathitt County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Breathitt County, Kentucky?
Breathitt County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $34,813, about 46% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How has median household income changed in Breathitt County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Breathitt County, Kentucky rose 78%, from $19,548 to $34,813. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +78% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Breathitt County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Breathitt County, Kentucky was $41,379, up 9% from $37,895 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Breathitt County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Breathitt County, Kentucky was $29,598. By 2024 it had risen 18% to $34,813.
Is unemployment high in Breathitt County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Breathitt County, Kentucky is 9.3%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Breathitt County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Breathitt County is 0.568. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Breathitt County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Breathitt County, Kentucky has widened from about 15% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,899 since 2009.
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