Lawrence County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Lawrence 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
Lawrence County Well below averageLess wealthy than 85% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lawrence County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $47,137 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,025 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.4% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.7% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lawrence County is about 27% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Lawrence County (4.0%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, Kentucky grew by 74.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $47,137 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lawrence County
| Metric | Lawrence County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.552 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,603 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,335 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.7% | 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 Lawrence County, it is 0.552, higher than Kentucky's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than 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 26% more than women's income in Lawrence County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $359,380 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lawrence County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 31% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2013, and was narrowest at 3% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $737 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lawrence County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.5% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 463 people are unemployed in Lawrence County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Lawrence County is 27 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lawrence County, Kentucky has fallen from 10.7% to 7.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.7% in 2012 and fell as low as 5.2% in 2022.
Lawrence County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lawrence County, KY is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 16,077 residents against a local median of 22,334. Where Lawrence County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 43% above the local median of 5.4% at 7.7%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.3% on unemployment, so Lawrence County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lawrence County, KY has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lawrence County, KY | 16,077 | $47,137 #3/6 | 4.0%/yr #4/6 | 7.7% #6/6 | 0.552 #2/6 |
| Johnson County, KY | 22,334 | $44,929 | 3.2%/yr | 4.2% | 0.560 |
| Boyd County, KY | 47,914 | $61,181 | 4.2%/yr | 6.4% | 0.570 |
| Wayne County, WV | 38,164 | $59,127 | 5.7%/yr | 4.9% | 0.533 |
| Martin County, KY | 11,027 | $36,960 | 3.6%/yr | 5.4% | 0.651 |
| Elliott County, KY | 7,307 | $45,833 | 6.5%/yr | 6.5% | 0.650 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Lawrence County, Kentucky?
Lawrence 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 $47,137, about 27% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Lawrence County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lawrence County, Kentucky rose 75%, from $26,995 to $47,137. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +75% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Lawrence County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lawrence County, Kentucky was $45,937, up 8% from $42,361 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Lawrence County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lawrence County, Kentucky was $33,411. By 2024 it had risen 41% to $47,137.
Is it hard to find a job in Lawrence County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Lawrence County, Kentucky is 7.7%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lawrence County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Lawrence County is 0.552. 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 Lawrence County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lawrence County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 31% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2013, and was narrowest at 3% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $737 since 2009.
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