Nicholas County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Nicholas 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
Nicholas County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Nicholas County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $59,796 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $44,645 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.0% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.5% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Nicholas County is about 7% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Nicholas County (6.4%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Nicholas 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 Nicholas County, Kentucky grew by 63.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $59,796 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Nicholas County
| Metric | Nicholas County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $46,593 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,098 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 16.1% | 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 Nicholas County, it is 0.545, about the same as Kentucky's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 19% more than women's income in Nicholas County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 19% wage gap accumulates to roughly $262,325 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Nicholas County, Kentucky has widened from about 15% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2022, and was narrowest at 9% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,280 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Nicholas County widened by 1.5 points while Kentucky's narrowed by 5.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Nicholas County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.0% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 31 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 205 people are unemployed in Nicholas County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Nicholas County is 31 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Nicholas County, Kentucky has risen from 5.3% to 6.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.8% in 2016 and fell as low as 4.1% in 2021.
Nicholas County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Nicholas County, KY is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,708 residents against a local median of 16,956. The measure that sets Nicholas County, KY apart most is income growth: 6.4%/yr, 46% above the local median of 4.4%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 6.1% against a local median of 4.2%, 46% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Nicholas County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.4%/yr on income growth, so Nicholas County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Nicholas County, KY has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nicholas County, KY | 7,708 | $59,796 #2/6 | 6.4%/yr #2/6 | 6.1% #5/6 | 0.545 #3/6 |
| Robertson County, KY | 2,283 | $54,270 | 7.6%/yr | 3.8% | 0.606 |
| Bourbon County, KY | 20,240 | $61,521 | 4.4%/yr | 4.2% | 0.545 |
| Montgomery County, KY | 28,394 | $56,855 | 4.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.525 |
| Fleming County, KY | 15,323 | $49,159 | 4.2%/yr | 7.5% | 0.546 |
| Mason County, KY | 16,956 | $53,259 | 4.2%/yr | 4.9% | 0.549 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Nicholas 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 Nicholas County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Nicholas County, Kentucky?
Nicholas 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 $59,796, about 7% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How has median household income changed in Nicholas County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Nicholas County, Kentucky rose 64%, from $36,543 to $59,796. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +64% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Nicholas County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Nicholas County, Kentucky was $52,543, down 6% from $56,110 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Nicholas County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Nicholas County, Kentucky was $46,239. By 2024 it had risen 29% to $59,796.
Is it hard to find a job in Nicholas County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Nicholas County, Kentucky is 6.1%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Nicholas County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Nicholas County is 0.545. 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 Nicholas County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Nicholas County, Kentucky has widened from about 15% to 16% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 36% in 2022, and was narrowest at 9% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $2,280 since 2009.
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