Hardin County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Hardin 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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C
Hardin County Below averageWealthier than 86% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hardin County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,218 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,977 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.4% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.2% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hardin County is about 5% higher than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Hardin County (3.4%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Hardin County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, about the same as the Kentucky average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Hardin County, Kentucky grew by 45.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,218 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hardin County
| Metric | Hardin County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.532 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $60,775 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,568 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.1% | 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 Hardin County, it is 0.532, 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 25% more than women's income in Hardin County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $427,245 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hardin County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 29% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $270 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Hardin County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.2% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 3,398 people are unemployed in Hardin County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Hardin County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hardin County, Kentucky has fallen from 7.3% to 6.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.3% in 2013 and fell as low as 5.4% in 2019.
Hardin County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hardin County, KY is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 111,942 residents against a local median of 26,707. Where Hardin County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 45% above the local median of 4.2% at 6.2%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.4%/yr against a local median of 5.1%/yr, 33% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Hardin County, KY reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.1% on unemployment, so Hardin County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hardin 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County, KY | 111,942 | $67,218 #3/6 | 3.4%/yr #6/6 | 6.2% #5/6 | 0.532 #3/6 |
| Larue County, KY | 15,088 | $64,966 | 6.0%/yr | 1.5% | 0.534 |
| Meade County, KY | 30,155 | $73,987 | 5.1%/yr | 4.7% | 0.522 |
| Bullitt County, KY | 84,027 | $81,944 | 4.2%/yr | 4.2% | 0.511 |
| Hart County, KY | 19,595 | $53,616 | 5.3%/yr | 3.8% | 0.556 |
| Grayson County, KY | 26,707 | $51,160 | 4.5%/yr | 6.6% | 0.570 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hardin County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Kentucky, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Hardin County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Hardin County, Kentucky?
Hardin County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $67,218, about 5% higher than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Hardin County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hardin County, Kentucky rose 46%, from $46,139 to $67,218. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +46% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Hardin County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hardin County, Kentucky was $67,351, up 4% from $64,681 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Hardin County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hardin County, Kentucky was $57,448. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $67,218.
Is it hard to find a job in Hardin County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Hardin County, Kentucky is 6.2%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hardin County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Hardin County is 0.532. 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 Hardin County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hardin County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 29% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 19% in 2016. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $270 since 2009.
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