Perry County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Perry 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
Perry County Well below averageLess wealthy than 73% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Perry County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $42,766 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,846 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.8% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.7% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Perry County is about 34% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Perry County (3.9%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Perry 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 Perry County, Kentucky grew by 38.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $42,766 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Perry County
| Metric | Perry County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.582 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,582 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,954 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 9.3% | 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 Perry County, it is 0.582, 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 10% more than women's income in Perry County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 10% wage gap accumulates to roughly $161,980 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Perry County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 34% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2012, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 2%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $10,045 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Perry County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.2% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 599 people are unemployed in Perry County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Perry County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Perry County, Kentucky has fallen from 8.6% to 5.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.2% in 2016.
Perry County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Perry County, KY is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 27,499 residents against a local median of 13,830. Where Perry County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 38% below the local median of 9.3% at 5.8%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.9%/yr against a local median of 5.0%/yr, 21% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Perry County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 5.7% on unemployment, so Perry County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Perry County, KY has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perry County, KY | 27,499 | $42,766 #1/6 | 3.9%/yr #6/6 | 5.8% #2/6 | 0.582 #5/6 |
| Leslie County, KY | 10,079 | $36,418 | 5.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.596 |
| Knott County, KY | 13,830 | $41,985 | 5.0%/yr | 9.3% | 0.567 |
| Breathitt County, KY | 13,276 | $34,813 | 4.4%/yr | 9.3% | 0.568 |
| Letcher County, KY | 20,808 | $41,776 | 4.6%/yr | 6.2% | 0.551 |
| Harlan County, KY | 25,771 | $41,438 | 6.5%/yr | 9.5% | 0.560 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Perry 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 Perry County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Perry County, Kentucky?
Perry 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 $42,766, about 34% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Perry County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Perry County, Kentucky rose 39%, from $30,832 to $42,766. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +39% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Perry County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Perry County, Kentucky was $45,293, about the same as in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Perry County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Perry County, Kentucky was $39,488. By 2024 it had risen 8% to $42,766.
What is the Gini coefficient in Perry County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Perry County is 0.582. 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 Perry County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Perry County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 34% to 9% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2012, and in 2022 women out-earned men by 2%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $10,045 since 2009.
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