Butler County, Missouri Income Statistics
Butler 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
Butler County Well below averageLess wealthy than 86% of counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Butler County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $48,932 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,598 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.8% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.7% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Butler County is about 31% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Butler County (3.8%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Butler 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 Butler County, Missouri grew by 47.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $48,932 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Butler County
| Metric | Butler County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.531 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,662 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,742 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 26.4% | 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 Butler County, it is 0.531, 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 36% more than women's income in Butler County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 36% wage gap accumulates to roughly $487,200 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Butler County, Missouri has widened from about 23% to 26% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2022, and was narrowest at 20% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,884 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Butler County widened by 3.5 points while Missouri's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Butler County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 881 people are unemployed in Butler County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Butler County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Butler County, Missouri has fallen from 8.0% to 4.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.6% in 2016.
Butler County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Butler County, MO is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 42,020 residents against a local median of 14,278. Where Butler County, MO breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 29% below the local median of 5.3%/yr at 3.8%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.3%/yr on income growth, so Butler County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Butler County, MO has the 5th highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butler County, MO | 42,020 | $48,932 #3/6 | 3.8%/yr #5/6 | 4.8% #4/6 | 0.531 #4/6 |
| Clay County, AR | 14,278 | $51,698 | 6.0%/yr | 6.3% | 0.488 |
| Wayne County, MO | 10,862 | $47,247 | 4.2%/yr | 7.3% | 0.526 |
| Ripley County, MO | 10,707 | $41,973 | 2.7%/yr | 3.7% | 0.536 |
| Stoddard County, MO | 28,470 | $57,628 | 5.3%/yr | 3.7% | 0.514 |
| Dunklin County, MO | 23,538 | $48,339 | 5.6%/yr | 4.8% | 0.537 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Butler 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 Butler County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Butler County, Missouri?
Butler 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 $48,932, about 31% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
Are incomes growing in Butler County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Butler County, Missouri rose 47%, from $33,198 to $48,932. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Missouri as a whole: +47% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Butler County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Butler County, Missouri was $49,123, up 3% from $47,539 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Butler County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Butler County, Missouri was $42,984. By 2024 it had risen 14% to $48,932.
What is the Gini coefficient in Butler County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Butler County is 0.531. 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 Butler County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Butler County, Missouri has widened from about 23% to 26% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2022, and was narrowest at 20% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,884 since 2009.
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