Isabella County, Michigan Income Statistics
Isabella 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
Isabella County Well below averageLess wealthy than 91% of counties in Michigan
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Isabella County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $55,505 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,357 | $59,920 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.5% | 9.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Isabella County is about 24% lower than in Michigan. Income has been growing slower in Isabella County (4.0%/yr) than in Michigan (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Isabella County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Michigan average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Isabella County, Michigan grew by 50.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $55,505 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Isabella County
| Metric | Isabella County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.555 | 0.539 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,268 | $69,354 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,494 | $54,749 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.7% | 21.1% | 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 Isabella County, it is 0.555, higher than Michigan's 0.539, so income is less evenly distributed here than 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 21% more than women's income in Isabella County, Michigan. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $342,090 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Isabella County, Michigan has narrowed from about 25% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 17% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $599 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Isabella County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.8% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 2,168 people are unemployed in Isabella County, Michigan.
The average commute time in Isabella County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Isabella County, Michigan has fallen from 13.8% to 6.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.9% in 2012.
Isabella County, MI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Isabella County, MI is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 64,565 residents against a local median of 41,391. The measure that sets Isabella County, MI apart most is unemployment: 6.4%, 46% above the local median of 4.4%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.0%/yr against a local median of 4.9%/yr, 19% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Isabella County, MI reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 5.5% on unemployment, so Isabella County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Isabella County, MI has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isabella County, MI | 64,565 | $55,505 #5/6 | 4.0%/yr #6/6 | 6.4% #5/6 | 0.555 #5/6 |
| Clare County, MI | 31,218 | $49,410 | 4.5%/yr | 9.5% | 0.547 |
| Gratiot County, MI | 41,391 | $64,123 | 5.2%/yr | 4.2% | 0.571 |
| Montcalm County, MI | 67,816 | $67,531 | 5.7%/yr | 5.0% | 0.537 |
| Midland County, MI | 83,757 | $78,496 | 4.4%/yr | 4.4% | 0.533 |
| Mecosta County, MI | 41,242 | $61,188 | 4.9%/yr | 4.0% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Isabella County, Michigan has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Michigan, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Isabella County, Michigan.
How Wealthy Is Isabella County, Michigan?
Isabella 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 $55,505, about 24% lower than the Michigan average of $72,977.
How fast is household income rising in Isabella County, Michigan?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Isabella County, Michigan rose 51%, from $36,826 to $55,505. Over the same years, income here outpaced Michigan as a whole: +51% against +50%.
What was the median household income in Isabella County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Isabella County, Michigan was $53,748, up 1% from $53,154 in 2022. The Michigan median that year was $71,362.
What was the median household income in Isabella County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Isabella County, Michigan was $46,933. By 2024 it had risen 18% to $55,505.
What is the Gini coefficient in Isabella County, Michigan?
The Gini coefficient in Isabella County is 0.555. 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 Isabella County, Michigan?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Isabella County, Michigan has narrowed from about 25% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 17% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $599 since 2009.
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