Meade County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Meade 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
Meade County Below averageWealthier than 87% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Meade County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $73,987 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $55,546 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.1% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.3% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Meade County is about 15% higher than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Meade County (5.1%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Meade 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 Meade County, Kentucky grew by 71.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $73,987 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Meade County
| Metric | Meade County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.522 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $68,057 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $47,571 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.1% | 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 Meade County, it is 0.522, 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 43% more than women's income in Meade County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 43% wage gap accumulates to roughly $717,010 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Meade County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 31% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2014, and was narrowest at 25% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,674 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Meade County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.6% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 27 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 720 people are unemployed in Meade County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Meade County is 27 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Meade County, Kentucky has fallen from 9.7% to 4.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 10.9% in 2015 and fell as low as 3.6% in 2023.
Meade County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Meade County, KY is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 30,155 residents against a local median of 20,880. The measure that sets Meade County, KY apart most is income growth: 5.1%/yr, 59% above the local median of 3.2%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $73,987 against a local median of $60,570, 22% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Meade County, KY is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 1.9%/yr on income growth, so Meade County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Meade 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meade County, KY | 30,155 | $73,987 #2/6 | 5.1%/yr #1/6 | 4.7% #5/6 | 0.522 #2/6 |
| Harrison County, IN | 39,866 | $74,587 | 4.4%/yr | 3.5% | 0.503 |
| Breckinridge County, KY | 20,880 | $55,056 | 2.9%/yr | 4.5% | 0.569 |
| Hardin County, KY | 111,942 | $67,218 | 3.4%/yr | 6.2% | 0.532 |
| Crawford County, IN | 10,499 | $49,582 | 2.4%/yr | 3.5% | 0.524 |
| Perry County, IN | 19,268 | $60,570 | 3.2%/yr | 4.5% | 0.536 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Meade 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 Meade County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Meade County, Kentucky?
Meade 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 $73,987, about 15% higher than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How has median household income changed in Meade County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Meade County, Kentucky rose 72%, from $43,115 to $73,987. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +72% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Meade County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Meade County, Kentucky was $69,699, up 3% from $67,865 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Meade County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Meade County, Kentucky was $62,281. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $73,987.
What is the Gini coefficient in Meade County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Meade County is 0.522. 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 Meade County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Meade County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 31% to 30% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2014, and was narrowest at 25% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,674 since 2009.
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