Metcalfe County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Metcalfe 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
Metcalfe County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Metcalfe County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,015 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,343 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.3% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.6% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Metcalfe County is about 21% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Metcalfe County (5.2%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Metcalfe 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 Metcalfe County, Kentucky grew by 45.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,015 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Metcalfe County
| Metric | Metcalfe County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.510 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,980 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,347 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 7.3% | 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 Metcalfe County, it is 0.510, 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 8% more than women's income in Metcalfe County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 8% wage gap accumulates to roughly $127,155 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Metcalfe County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 17% to 7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,669 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Metcalfe County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.3% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 218 people are unemployed in Metcalfe County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Metcalfe County is 23 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Metcalfe County, Kentucky has fallen from 6.6% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.1% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.1% in 2020.
Metcalfe County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Metcalfe County, KY is typical in size for this group, 10,425 residents against a local median of 11,369, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Metcalfe County, KY's income growth, at 5.2%/yr, runs 53% above the 3.4%/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: 4.9% against a local median of 4.1%, 19% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Metcalfe County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.2%/yr on income growth, so Metcalfe County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Metcalfe County, KY has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metcalfe County, KY | 10,425 | $51,015 #3/6 | 5.2%/yr #3/6 | 4.9% #4/6 | 0.510 #1/6 |
| Green County, KY | 11,369 | $46,750 | 3.4%/yr | 7.2% | 0.546 |
| Monroe County, KY | 11,269 | $52,443 | 5.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.519 |
| Barren County, KY | 44,937 | $50,825 | 3.4%/yr | 4.1% | 0.537 |
| Cumberland County, KY | 5,948 | $39,999 | 2.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.526 |
| Adair County, KY | 19,089 | $52,979 | 5.8%/yr | 6.8% | 0.538 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Metcalfe 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 Metcalfe County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Metcalfe County, Kentucky?
Metcalfe 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 $51,015, about 21% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Metcalfe County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Metcalfe County, Kentucky rose 46%, from $35,014 to $51,015. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +46% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Metcalfe County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Metcalfe County, Kentucky was $47,673, about the same as in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Metcalfe County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Metcalfe County, Kentucky was $40,410. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $51,015.
What is the Gini coefficient in Metcalfe County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Metcalfe County is 0.510. 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 Metcalfe County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Metcalfe County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 17% to 7% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 23% in 2011. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,669 since 2009.
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