Shelby County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Shelby 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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B
Shelby County Around averageWealthier than 93% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Shelby County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $86,215 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,846 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.4% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.0% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Shelby County is about 34% higher than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Shelby County (4.2%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Shelby County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Kentucky average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Shelby County, Kentucky grew by 52.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $86,215 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Shelby County
| Metric | Shelby County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.534 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $64,645 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $53,327 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.5% | 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 Shelby County, it is 0.534, 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 21% more than women's income in Shelby County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $396,130 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Shelby County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 31% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,640 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Shelby County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.6% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 1,033 people are unemployed in Shelby County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Shelby County is 25 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Shelby County, Kentucky has fallen from 7.3% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.4% in 2012 and fell as low as 2.8% in 2023.
Shelby County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Shelby County, KY is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 49,096 residents against a local median of 24,353. Where Shelby County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 16% below the local median of 5.0% at 4.2%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $86,215 against a local median of $74,458, 16% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Shelby County, KY is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 3.7% on unemployment, so Shelby County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Shelby County, KY has the 3rd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shelby County, KY | 49,096 | $86,215 #3/6 | 4.2%/yr #4/6 | 4.2% #3/6 | 0.534 #5/6 |
| Spencer County, KY | 20,193 | $100,880 | 5.4%/yr | 5.0% | 0.521 |
| Henry County, KY | 15,856 | $64,064 | 3.1%/yr | 5.0% | 0.531 |
| Anderson County, KY | 24,353 | $74,458 | 4.3%/yr | 2.2% | 0.508 |
| Oldham County, KY | 69,249 | $123,816 | 4.5%/yr | 3.5% | 0.558 |
| Franklin County, KY | 51,842 | $67,514 | 3.5%/yr | 5.9% | 0.504 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Shelby County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Kentucky, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Shelby County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Shelby County, Kentucky?
Shelby County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $86,215, about 34% higher than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Shelby County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Shelby County, Kentucky rose 52%, from $56,555 to $86,215. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +52% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Shelby County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Shelby County, Kentucky was $83,755, up 2% from $81,882 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Shelby County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Shelby County, Kentucky was $71,994. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $86,215.
What is the Gini coefficient in Shelby County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Shelby County is 0.534. 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 Shelby County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Shelby County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 31% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,640 since 2009.
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