Barry County, Missouri Income Statistics
Barry 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
Barry County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Barry County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $58,172 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,745 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.3% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.5% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.6% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Barry County is about 18% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing faster in Barry County (5.3%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Barry County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Missouri average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Barry County, Missouri grew by 58.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $58,172 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Barry County
| Metric | Barry County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.535 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,584 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,340 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.6% | 20.6% | 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 Barry County, it is 0.535, about the same as Missouri's 0.532, so income here is about as evenly distributed as 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 Barry County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $323,540 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barry County, Missouri has narrowed from about 26% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $577 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Barry County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.6% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.5% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 715 people are unemployed in Barry County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Barry County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Barry County, Missouri has fallen from 8.9% to 4.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 13.5% in 2013 and fell as low as 3.1% in 2021.
Barry County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Barry County, MO is typical in size for this group, 35,028 residents against a local median of 32,050, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Barry County, MO's unemployment, at 4.6%, runs 23% below the 5.9% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.8% on unemployment, so Barry County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Barry County, MO has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County, MO | 35,028 | $58,172 #4/6 | 5.3%/yr #3/6 | 4.6% #2/6 | 0.535 #4/6 |
| Stone County, MO | 32,050 | $64,442 | 5.6%/yr | 7.1% | 0.511 |
| Lawrence County, MO | 38,593 | $61,185 | 5.4%/yr | 4.2% | 0.521 |
| Carroll County, AR | 28,630 | $55,547 | 4.7%/yr | 4.7% | 0.532 |
| McDonald County, MO | 23,701 | $53,681 | 4.2%/yr | 6.8% | 0.553 |
| Newton County, MO | 60,118 | $65,823 | 5.0%/yr | 5.9% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Barry County, Missouri has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Missouri, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Barry County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Barry County, Missouri?
Barry 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 $58,172, about 18% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
Are incomes growing in Barry County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Barry County, Missouri rose 58%, from $36,722 to $58,172. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +58% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Barry County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Barry County, Missouri was $56,792, up 5% from $54,151 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Barry County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Barry County, Missouri was $46,009. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $58,172.
What is the Gini coefficient in Barry County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Barry County is 0.535. 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 Barry County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Barry County, Missouri has narrowed from about 26% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 15% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $577 since 2009.
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