Wolfe County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Wolfe 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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F
Wolfe County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wolfe County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $30,492 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $38,465 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 1.4% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.0% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wolfe County is about 53% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Wolfe County (4.1%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 1% of adults in Wolfe 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 Wolfe County, Kentucky grew by 42.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $30,492 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wolfe County
| Metric | Wolfe County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.564 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $42,087 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,153 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -2.5% | 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 Wolfe County, it is 0.564, 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.
Women's income is about 3% more than men's income in Wolfe County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 3% wage gap accumulates to roughly $37,310 in unearned income for male workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wolfe County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 22% to -3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2014, and in 2023 women out-earned men by 5%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $8,499 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Wolfe County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 13.1% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.2% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 248 people are unemployed in Wolfe County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Wolfe County is 28 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wolfe County, Kentucky has risen from 8.3% to 13.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2020 and fell as low as 6.7% in 2013.
Wolfe County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wolfe County, KY is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 6,443 residents against a local median of 13,038. Where Wolfe County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 127% above the local median of 5.8% at 13.1%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $30,492 against a local median of $40,249, 24% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Wolfe County, KY reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 6.2% on unemployment, so Wolfe County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Wolfe County, KY has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wolfe County, KY | 6,443 | $30,492 #6/6 | 4.1%/yr #4/6 | 13.1% #6/6 | 0.564 #3/6 |
| Menifee County, KY | 6,230 | $45,192 | 3.3%/yr | 7.9% | 0.531 |
| Lee County, KY | 7,339 | $37,016 | 7.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.592 |
| Breathitt County, KY | 13,276 | $34,813 | 4.4%/yr | 9.3% | 0.568 |
| Morgan County, KY | 14,053 | $48,527 | 5.0%/yr | 3.1% | 0.604 |
| Powell County, KY | 13,038 | $40,249 | 2.3%/yr | 5.8% | 0.543 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wolfe County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it worse than Kentucky, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Wolfe County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Wolfe County, Kentucky?
Wolfe County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $30,492, about 53% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Wolfe County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wolfe County, Kentucky rose 42%, from $21,472 to $30,492. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +42% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Wolfe County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wolfe County, Kentucky was $28,787, up 4% from $27,606 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Wolfe County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wolfe County, Kentucky was $22,878. By 2024 it had risen 33% to $30,492.
How strong is the job market in Wolfe County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Wolfe County, Kentucky is 13.1%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wolfe County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Wolfe County is 0.564. 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 Wolfe County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wolfe County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 22% to -3% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2014, and in 2023 women out-earned men by 5%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $8,499 since 2009.
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