St. Joseph County, Michigan Income Statistics
St. Joseph 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.
-
C
St. Joseph County Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | St. Joseph County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,257 | $72,977 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,922 | $59,920 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.0% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.1% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.0% | 9.5% | 13.2% |
The median household income in St. Joseph County is about 8% lower than in Michigan. Income has been growing faster in St. Joseph County (5.0%/yr) than in Michigan (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in St. Joseph 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 St. Joseph County, Michigan grew by 53.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,257 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.0% per year.
St. Joseph County has stayed well below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024 and has never reached it. It came closest in 2010, at 14% lower. The gap has widened from 14% in 2009 to 16% in 2024.
Income Distribution in St. Joseph County
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 6,924 households (29.3% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 24.0% of households in St. Joseph County had an income under $35,000 and 9.8% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., St. Joseph County has a larger share of households earning $35,000 to $49,999 (13.6% vs 10.1%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (4.0% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 808 | 3.4% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 895 | 3.8% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 1,797 | 7.6% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 2,157 | 9.1% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 3,204 | 13.6% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 4,211 | 17.8% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,624 | 15.3% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 4,606 | 19.5% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,371 | 5.8% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 947 | 4.0% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 23,620 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 2,971 residents (6.1% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 6.8% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 10.7% of St. Joseph County residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 31.6% had some income but less than $25,000, and 13.2% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., St. Joseph County has a larger share of residents earning $35,000 to $49,999 (16.4% vs 12.6%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (6.1% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 5,215 | 10.7% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 5,485 | 11.2% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 3,584 | 7.3% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 6,392 | 13.1% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 6,046 | 12.4% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 8,001 | 16.4% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 7,715 | 15.8% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,456 | 7.1% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 2,971 | 6.1% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 48,865 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 10.7% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in St. Joseph County
| Metric | St. Joseph County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.504 | 0.539 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $61,203 | $69,354 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,199 | $54,749 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 29.4% | 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 St. Joseph County, it is 0.504, lower than Michigan's 0.539, 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 42% more than women's income in St. Joseph County, Michigan. Over a 35-year career, a 42% wage gap accumulates to roughly $630,140 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
The income gap between men and women in St. Joseph County, Michigan has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 29%. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and was narrowest at 21% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,910 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | St. Joseph County | Michigan Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.9% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.2% | 13.5% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,736 people are unemployed in St. Joseph County, Michigan.
The average commute time in St. Joseph County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Michigan.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in St. Joseph County, Michigan has fallen from 14.5% to 5.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.1% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.2% in 2020.
St. Joseph County was above the U.S. unemployment rate from 2011 to 2015, slipped below it by 2016, falling as far as 1.2 points lower in 2017, then climbed back above it in the latest figures (2024), at 0.7 points higher.
St. Joseph County, MI Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
St. Joseph County, MI is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 60,969 residents against a local median of 51,520. St. Joseph County, MI's unemployment, at 5.9%, runs 17% above the 5.0% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.1% on unemployment, so St. Joseph County, MI sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. St. Joseph County, MI 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Joseph County, MI | 60,969 | $67,257 #5/6 | 5.0%/yr #2/6 | 5.9% #6/6 | 0.504 #1/6 |
| LaGrange County, IN | 40,805 | $83,276 | 5.4%/yr | 4.2% | 0.557 |
| Kalamazoo County, MI | 262,419 | $72,425 | 4.8%/yr | 5.5% | 0.538 |
| Elkhart County, IN | 207,132 | $69,750 | 4.3%/yr | 3.6% | 0.528 |
| Cass County, MI | 51,520 | $70,806 | 5.0%/yr | 5.0% | 0.526 |
| Branch County, MI | 45,300 | $64,556 | 4.2%/yr | 5.7% | 0.523 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, St. Joseph County, Michigan has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Michigan, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in St. Joseph County, Michigan.
How Rich Is St. Joseph County, Michigan?
St. Joseph County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $67,257, about 8% lower than the Michigan average of $72,977.
Are incomes growing in St. Joseph County, Michigan?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in St. Joseph County, Michigan rose 54%, from $43,774 to $67,257. Over the same years, income here outpaced Michigan as a whole: +54% against +50%.
What was the median household income in St. Joseph County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in St. Joseph County, Michigan was $65,505, up 4% from $63,039 in 2022. The Michigan median that year was $71,362.
What was the median household income in St. Joseph County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in St. Joseph County, Michigan was $53,664. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $67,257.
What is the Gini coefficient in St. Joseph County, Michigan?
The Gini coefficient in St. Joseph County is 0.504. 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 St. Joseph County, Michigan?
The income gap between men and women in St. Joseph County, Michigan has stayed about the same since 2009, at around 29%. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and was narrowest at 21% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,910 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →