Whitley County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Whitley 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
Whitley County Well below averageLess wealthy than 77% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Whitley County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $44,696 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,459 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.8% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.2% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Whitley County is about 31% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Whitley County (4.2%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Whitley 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 Whitley County, Kentucky grew by 60.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $44,696 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Whitley County
| Metric | Whitley County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.574 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,024 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,885 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.7% | 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 Whitley County, it is 0.574, 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 26% more than women's income in Whitley County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $354,865 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Whitley County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 33% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2013, and was narrowest at 17% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,891 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Whitley County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.9% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 783 people are unemployed in Whitley County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Whitley County is 20 minutes, about the same as in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Whitley County, Kentucky has fallen from 10.3% to 5.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.1% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.2% in 2023.
Whitley County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Whitley County, KY is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 36,920 residents against a local median of 29,865. Whitley County, KY's median household income, at $44,696, runs 34% above the $33,374 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.2%/yr against a local median of 5.6%/yr, 25% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: median household income runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Whitley County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread $26,449 on median household income, so Whitley County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Whitley County, KY has the 3rd highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County, KY | 36,920 | $44,696 #3/6 | 4.2%/yr #5/6 | 5.3% #4/6 | 0.574 #3/6 |
| Knox County, KY | 29,865 | $32,074 | 2.5%/yr | 8.1% | 0.597 |
| McCreary County, KY | 16,867 | $33,374 | 7.9%/yr | 4.2% | 0.624 |
| Laurel County, KY | 62,983 | $58,280 | 6.1%/yr | 3.5% | 0.554 |
| Campbell County, TN | 39,761 | $51,969 | 5.6%/yr | 5.0% | 0.534 |
| Bell County, KY | 23,509 | $31,831 | 4.3%/yr | 10.1% | 0.578 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Whitley 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 Whitley County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Whitley County, Kentucky?
Whitley 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 $44,696, about 31% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
How fast is household income rising in Whitley County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Whitley County, Kentucky rose 60%, from $27,872 to $44,696. Over the same years, income here outpaced Kentucky as a whole: +60% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Whitley County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Whitley County, Kentucky was $41,676, down 5% from $44,098 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Whitley County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Whitley County, Kentucky was $39,068. By 2024 it had risen 14% to $44,696.
What is the Gini coefficient in Whitley County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Whitley County is 0.574. 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 Whitley County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Whitley County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 33% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2013, and was narrowest at 17% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,891 since 2009.
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