Lee County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Lee 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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F
Lee County Well below averageLess wealthy than 94% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lee County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $37,016 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,403 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 7.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.2% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.7% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lee County is about 42% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Lee County (7.2%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 2% of adults in Lee 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 Lee County, Kentucky grew by 92.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $37,016 in 2024. That's an average of about 7.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lee County
| Metric | Lee County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.592 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,935 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $36,815 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.8% | 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 Lee County, it is 0.592, 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 33% more than women's income in Lee County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 33% wage gap accumulates to roughly $424,200 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Kentucky has widened from about 9% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,669 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Lee County widened by 15.5 points while Kentucky's narrowed by 5.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Lee County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.3% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 119 people are unemployed in Lee County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Lee County is 23 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lee County, Kentucky has fallen from 9.9% to 4.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.8% in 2016.
Lee County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, KY is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,339 residents against a local median of 13,038. Where Lee County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 120% above the local median of 3.3%/yr at 7.2%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.7% against a local median of 7.0%, 33% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Lee County, KY is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 4.3%/yr on income growth, so Lee County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lee 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, KY | 7,339 | $37,016 #4/6 | 7.2%/yr #1/6 | 4.7% #2/6 | 0.592 #6/6 |
| Owsley County, KY | 3,971 | $23,922 | 1.6%/yr | 12.6% | 0.564 |
| Powell County, KY | 13,038 | $40,249 | 2.3%/yr | 5.8% | 0.543 |
| Wolfe County, KY | 6,443 | $30,492 | 4.1%/yr | 13.1% | 0.564 |
| Estill County, KY | 14,035 | $46,575 | 5.9%/yr | 7.0% | 0.545 |
| Jackson County, KY | 13,086 | $40,000 | 3.3%/yr | 4.0% | 0.551 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lee County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Kentucky, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lee County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Lee County, Kentucky?
Lee County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $37,016, about 42% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Lee County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lee County, Kentucky rose 93%, from $19,200 to $37,016. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +93% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lee County, Kentucky was $33,917, up 5% from $32,211 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lee County, Kentucky was $24,643. By 2024 it had risen 50% to $37,016.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lee County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Lee County is 0.592. 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 Lee County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Kentucky has widened from about 9% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,669 since 2009.
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