Knott County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Knott 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
Knott County Well below averageLess wealthy than 87% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Knott County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $41,985 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,253 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.0% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.4% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Knott County is about 35% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Knott County (5.0%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Knott 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 Knott County, Kentucky grew by 49.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $41,985 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Knott County
| Metric | Knott County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.567 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $56,850 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,449 | $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 Knott County, it is 0.567, 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 25% more than women's income in Knott County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $399,035 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Knott County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 29% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2015, and was narrowest at 8% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $198 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Knott County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.3% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.6% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 450 people are unemployed in Knott County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Knott County is 21 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Knott County, Kentucky has risen from 9.0% to 9.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.8% in 2016 and fell as low as 8.5% in 2012.
Knott County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Knott County, KY is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,830 residents against a local median of 20,808. Knott County, KY's income growth, at 5.0%/yr, runs 24% above the 4.0%/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: 9.3% against a local median of 7.7%, 21% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Knott County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.0%/yr on income growth, so Knott County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Knott County, KY has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knott County, KY | 13,830 | $41,985 #2/6 | 5.0%/yr #1/6 | 9.3% #5/6 | 0.567 #2/6 |
| Letcher County, KY | 20,808 | $41,776 | 4.6%/yr | 6.2% | 0.551 |
| Perry County, KY | 27,499 | $42,766 | 3.9%/yr | 5.8% | 0.582 |
| Floyd County, KY | 35,224 | $41,750 | 4.0%/yr | 7.7% | 0.570 |
| Magoffin County, KY | 11,344 | $33,230 | 1.6%/yr | 9.0% | 0.595 |
| Breathitt County, KY | 13,276 | $34,813 | 4.4%/yr | 9.3% | 0.568 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Knott 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 Knott County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Knott County, Kentucky?
Knott 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 $41,985, about 35% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Knott County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Knott County, Kentucky rose 50%, from $28,048 to $41,985. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +50% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Knott County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Knott County, Kentucky was $38,851, up 3% from $37,752 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Knott County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Knott County, Kentucky was $32,715. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $41,985.
How strong is the job market in Knott County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Knott 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 Knott County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Knott County is 0.567. 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 Knott County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Knott County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 29% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2015, and was narrowest at 8% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $198 since 2009.
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