Blue Earth County, Minnesota Income Statistics
Blue Earth 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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C
Blue Earth County Below averageLess wealthy than 80% of counties in Minnesota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Blue Earth County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,407 | $89,852 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,503 | $67,028 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.5% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.0% | 15.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 6.8% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Blue Earth County is about 17% lower than in Minnesota. Income has been growing faster in Blue Earth County (4.5%/yr) than in Minnesota (4.4%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Blue Earth County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Minnesota average of 15%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Blue Earth County, Minnesota grew by 62.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,407 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Blue Earth County
| Metric | Blue Earth County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.521 | 0.507 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $62,872 | $74,898 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $52,054 | $62,922 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 17.2% | 16.0% | 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 Blue Earth County, it is 0.521, higher than Minnesota's 0.507, so income is less 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 21% more than women's income in Blue Earth County, Minnesota. Over a 35-year career, a 21% wage gap accumulates to roughly $378,630 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Blue Earth County, Minnesota has narrowed from about 27% to 17% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $270 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Blue Earth County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.9% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.5% | 17.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 1,955 people are unemployed in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.
The average commute time in Blue Earth County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Minnesota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Blue Earth County, Minnesota has fallen from 6.5% to 4.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.4% in 2021.
Blue Earth County, MN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Blue Earth County, MN is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 69,837 residents against a local median of 18,885. Blue Earth County, MN's unemployment, at 4.9%, runs 46% above the 3.4% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.1% on unemployment, so Blue Earth County, MN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Blue Earth County, MN 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Earth County, MN | 69,837 | $74,407 #4/6 | 4.5%/yr #3/6 | 4.9% #5/6 | 0.521 #6/6 |
| Nicollet County, MN | 34,262 | $79,826 | 3.4%/yr | 2.2% | 0.514 |
| Faribault County, MN | 13,914 | $67,234 | 4.1%/yr | 3.4% | 0.493 |
| Le Sueur County, MN | 29,116 | $92,665 | 4.9%/yr | 4.2% | 0.478 |
| Waseca County, MN | 18,885 | $76,286 | 4.1%/yr | 2.5% | 0.508 |
| Watonwan County, MN | 11,205 | $72,035 | 4.8%/yr | 5.3% | 0.502 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Blue Earth County, Minnesota has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat worse than Minnesota, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Blue Earth County, Minnesota.
How Rich Is Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
Blue Earth 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 $74,407, about 17% lower than the Minnesota average of $89,852.
How fast is household income rising in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Blue Earth County, Minnesota rose 62%, from $45,815 to $74,407. Over the same years, income here outpaced Minnesota as a whole: +62% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Blue Earth County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Blue Earth County, Minnesota was $73,338, up 3% from $71,327 in 2022. The Minnesota median that year was $88,324.
What was the median household income in Blue Earth County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Blue Earth County, Minnesota was $61,428. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $74,407.
What is the Gini coefficient in Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
The Gini coefficient in Blue Earth County is 0.521. 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 Blue Earth County, Minnesota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Blue Earth County, Minnesota has narrowed from about 27% to 17% in 2024. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $270 since 2009.
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