Russell County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Russell 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
Russell County Well below averageLess wealthy than 71% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Russell County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $44,784 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,770 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.9% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.3% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Russell County is about 30% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Russell County (4.6%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Russell 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 Russell County, Kentucky grew by 53.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $44,784 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Russell County
| Metric | Russell County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.552 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,181 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,016 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.3% | 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 Russell County, it is 0.552, about the same as Kentucky's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 25% more than women's income in Russell County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $355,775 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Russell County, Kentucky has widened from about 8% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2023, and was narrowest at 5% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,615 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Russell County widened by 12.1 points while Kentucky's narrowed by 5.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Russell County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.3% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 505 people are unemployed in Russell County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Russell County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Russell County, Kentucky has fallen from 8.8% to 6.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.3% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.9% in 2019.
Russell County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Russell County, KY is typical in size for this group, 18,221 residents against a local median of 15,914, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Russell County, KY sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 13% below the local median at 4.6%/yr against 5.3%/yr. Russell County, KY has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Russell County, KY | 18,221 | $44,784 #5/6 | 4.6%/yr #4/6 | 6.4% #4/6 | 0.552 #5/6 |
| Adair County, KY | 19,089 | $52,979 | 5.8%/yr | 6.8% | 0.538 |
| Clinton County, KY | 9,202 | $44,875 | 5.3%/yr | 5.0% | 0.518 |
| Wayne County, KY | 19,602 | $45,787 | 5.4%/yr | 5.7% | 0.538 |
| Casey County, KY | 15,914 | $45,684 | 4.5%/yr | 8.9% | 0.569 |
| Cumberland County, KY | 5,948 | $39,999 | 2.7%/yr | 4.0% | 0.526 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Russell 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 Russell County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Russell County, Kentucky?
Russell 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 $44,784, about 30% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How has median household income changed in Russell County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Russell County, Kentucky rose 53%, from $29,228 to $44,784. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +53% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Russell County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Russell County, Kentucky was $50,741, up 6% from $47,778 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Russell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Russell County, Kentucky was $42,142. By 2024 it had risen 6% to $44,784.
Is unemployment high in Russell County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Russell County, Kentucky is 6.4%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Russell County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Russell County is 0.552. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Russell County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Russell County, Kentucky has widened from about 8% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2023, and was narrowest at 5% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,615 since 2009.
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