Jackson County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Jackson 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
Jackson County Well below averageLess wealthy than 82% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Jackson County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $40,000 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,527 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.3% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.1% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.3% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Jackson County is about 38% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Jackson County (3.3%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Jackson 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 Jackson County, Kentucky grew by 50.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $40,000 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Jackson County
| Metric | Jackson County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.551 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $53,566 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $35,435 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 33.8% | 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 Jackson County, it is 0.551, about the same as Kentucky's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 51% more than women's income in Jackson County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 51% wage gap accumulates to roughly $634,585 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jackson County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 37% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2010, and was narrowest at 16% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,776 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Jackson County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.9% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 32 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 190 people are unemployed in Jackson County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Jackson County is 32 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Jackson County, Kentucky has fallen from 13.4% to 4.0% in 2024.
Jackson County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Jackson County, KY is typical in size for this group, 13,086 residents against a local median of 14,035, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Jackson County, KY's income growth, at 3.3%/yr, runs 44% below the 5.9%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.0% against a local median of 4.7%, 16% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Jackson County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.6%/yr on income growth, so Jackson County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jackson County, KY has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County, KY | 13,086 | $40,000 #4/6 | 3.3%/yr #5/6 | 4.0% #2/6 | 0.551 #2/6 |
| Estill County, KY | 14,035 | $46,575 | 5.9%/yr | 7.0% | 0.545 |
| Rockcastle County, KY | 16,158 | $49,228 | 5.0%/yr | 4.6% | 0.566 |
| Owsley County, KY | 3,971 | $23,922 | 1.6%/yr | 12.6% | 0.564 |
| Laurel County, KY | 62,983 | $58,280 | 6.1%/yr | 3.5% | 0.554 |
| Lee County, KY | 7,339 | $37,016 | 7.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.592 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jackson 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 Jackson County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Jackson County, Kentucky?
Jackson 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 $40,000, about 38% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Jackson County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Jackson County, Kentucky rose 51%, from $26,572 to $40,000. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +51% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Jackson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Jackson County, Kentucky was $41,410, up 5% from $39,415 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Jackson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Jackson County, Kentucky was $31,674. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $40,000.
What is the Gini coefficient in Jackson County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Jackson County is 0.551. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Jackson County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jackson County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 37% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 37% in 2010, and was narrowest at 16% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,776 since 2009.
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