Traverse County, Minnesota Income Statistics
Traverse 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.
-
B
Traverse County Around average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Traverse County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $62,029 | $89,852 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $50,889 | $67,028 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.8% | 4.4% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 10.7% | 15.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.9% | 13.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Traverse County is about 31% lower than in Minnesota. Income has been growing slower in Traverse County (2.8%/yr) than in Minnesota (4.4%/yr).
About 11% of adults in Traverse 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 Traverse County, Minnesota grew by 60.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $62,029 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Traverse County
| Metric | Traverse County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.530 | 0.507 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,767 | $74,898 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,999 | $62,922 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.6% | 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 Traverse County, it is 0.530, 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 23% more than women's income in Traverse County, Minnesota. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $376,880 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Traverse County, Minnesota has narrowed from about 36% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 18% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,597 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Traverse County | Minnesota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.5% | 4.1% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 16.8% | 17.6% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 12 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 70 people are unemployed in Traverse County, Minnesota.
The average commute time in Traverse County is 12 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Minnesota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Traverse County, Minnesota has risen from 2.0% to 4.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 4.9% in 2023 and fell as low as 1.8% in 2012.
Traverse County, MN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Traverse County, MN is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,243 residents against a local median of 6,371. The measure that sets Traverse County, MN apart most is unemployment: 4.5%, 65% above the local median of 2.8%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.8%/yr against a local median of 4.0%/yr, 31% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Traverse County, MN reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.2% on unemployment, so Traverse County, MN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Traverse County, MN has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse County, MN | 3,243 | $62,029 #6/6 | 2.8%/yr #6/6 | 4.5% #4/6 | 0.530 #4/6 |
| Big Stone County, MN | 5,126 | $69,402 | 4.9%/yr | 1.8% | 0.512 |
| Grant County, MN | 6,127 | $74,203 | 4.3%/yr | 2.8% | 0.509 |
| Roberts County, SD | 10,221 | $66,327 | 3.6%/yr | 6.0% | 0.531 |
| Stevens County, MN | 9,740 | $75,380 | 4.0%/yr | 2.0% | 0.535 |
| Wilkin County, MN | 6,371 | $70,645 | 3.9%/yr | 4.8% | 0.503 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Traverse County, Minnesota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Minnesota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Traverse County, Minnesota.
How Rich Is Traverse County, Minnesota?
Traverse County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $62,029, about 31% lower than the Minnesota average of $89,852.
How has median household income changed in Traverse County, Minnesota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Traverse County, Minnesota rose 61%, from $38,571 to $62,029. Over the same years, income here outpaced Minnesota as a whole: +61% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Traverse County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Traverse County, Minnesota was $65,892, up 5% from $62,554 in 2022. The Minnesota median that year was $88,324.
What was the median household income in Traverse County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Traverse County, Minnesota was $51,500. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $62,029.
What is the Gini coefficient in Traverse County, Minnesota?
The Gini coefficient in Traverse County is 0.530. 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 Traverse County, Minnesota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Traverse County, Minnesota has narrowed from about 36% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 18% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,597 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 →