Estill County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Estill 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
Estill County Well below averageLess wealthy than 86% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Estill County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $46,575 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,684 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.9% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.4% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Estill County is about 28% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Estill County (5.9%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Estill 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 Estill County, Kentucky grew by 74.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $46,575 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Estill County
| Metric | Estill County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,625 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,749 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 12.1% | 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 Estill County, it is 0.545, about the same as Kentucky's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 14% more than women's income in Estill County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $205,660 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Estill County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 22% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016, and was narrowest at 4% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,332 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Estill County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.0% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 387 people are unemployed in Estill County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Estill County is 27 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Estill County, Kentucky has fallen from 13.5% to 7.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.0% in 2013.
Estill County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Estill County, KY is typical in size for this group, 14,035 residents against a local median of 13,086, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Estill County, KY's income growth, at 5.9%/yr, runs 53% above the 3.8%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 7.0% against a local median of 4.7%, 49% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Estill County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 4.9%/yr on income growth, so Estill County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Estill 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Estill County, KY | 14,035 | $46,575 #3/6 | 5.9%/yr #2/6 | 7.0% #6/6 | 0.545 #3/6 |
| Powell County, KY | 13,038 | $40,249 | 2.3%/yr | 5.8% | 0.543 |
| Lee County, KY | 7,339 | $37,016 | 7.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.592 |
| Jackson County, KY | 13,086 | $40,000 | 3.3%/yr | 4.0% | 0.551 |
| Madison County, KY | 95,769 | $64,757 | 4.9%/yr | 5.1% | 0.546 |
| Clark County, KY | 37,190 | $66,114 | 3.8%/yr | 4.4% | 0.533 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Estill 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 Estill County, Kentucky.
How Wealthy Is Estill County, Kentucky?
Estill 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 $46,575, about 28% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Estill County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Estill County, Kentucky rose 75%, from $26,661 to $46,575. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +75% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Estill County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Estill County, Kentucky was $43,890, up 10% from $39,975 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Estill County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Estill County, Kentucky was $33,377. By 2024 it had risen 40% to $46,575.
How strong is the job market in Estill County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Estill County, Kentucky is 7.0%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Estill County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Estill County is 0.545. 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 Estill County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Estill County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 22% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2016, and was narrowest at 4% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,332 since 2009.
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