Union County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Union 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
Union County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Union County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,386 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,554 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.2% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.3% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Union County is about 6% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Union County (4.8%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Union 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 Union County, Kentucky grew by 54.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,386 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Union County
| Metric | Union County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.546 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,562 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $39,398 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 33.9% | 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 Union County, it is 0.546, 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 51% more than women's income in Union County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 51% wage gap accumulates to roughly $705,740 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Union County, Kentucky has widened from about 27% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2014, and was narrowest at 22% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,687 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Union County widened by 7.0 points while Kentucky's narrowed by 5.2 points.
Employment
| Metric | Union County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 2.7% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.4% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 156 people are unemployed in Union County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Union County is 20 minutes, about the same as in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Union County, Kentucky has fallen from 9.5% to 2.7% in 2024.
Union County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Union County, KY is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 13,258 residents against a local median of 8,979. Where Union County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 21% below the local median of 3.4% at 2.7%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.8%/yr against a local median of 4.1%/yr, 18% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Union County, KY is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 7.3% on unemployment, so Union County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Union 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union County, KY | 13,258 | $60,386 #2/6 | 4.8%/yr #2/6 | 2.7% #2/6 | 0.546 #4/6 |
| Webster County, KY | 12,842 | $59,485 | 5.7%/yr | 4.1% | 0.557 |
| Gallatin County, IL | 4,818 | $59,349 | 4.7%/yr | 9.2% | 0.510 |
| Crittenden County, KY | 8,979 | $47,070 | 2.5%/yr | 3.4% | 0.556 |
| Hardin County, IL | 3,602 | $53,842 | 4.1%/yr | 2.8% | 0.515 |
| Posey County, IN | 25,116 | $80,859 | 3.8%/yr | 1.8% | 0.515 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Union County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Kentucky, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Union County, Kentucky.
How Wealthy Is Union County, Kentucky?
Union 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 $60,386, about 6% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Union County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Union County, Kentucky rose 54%, from $39,148 to $60,386. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +54% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Union County, Kentucky was $61,579, up 8% from $56,850 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Union County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Union County, Kentucky was $49,759. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $60,386.
Is unemployment high in Union County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Union County, Kentucky is only 2.7%, well below the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Union County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Union County is 0.546. 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 Union County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Union County, Kentucky has widened from about 27% to 34% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 40% in 2014, and was narrowest at 22% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $9,687 since 2009.
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