Howell County, Missouri Income Statistics
Howell 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
Howell County Well below averageLess wealthy than 81% of counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Howell County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,550 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,217 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.8% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.5% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Howell County is about 27% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing faster in Howell County (5.4%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Howell 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 Howell County, Missouri grew by 59.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,550 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Howell County
| Metric | Howell County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.530 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,688 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,989 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.1% | 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 Howell County, it is 0.530, 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 33% more than women's income in Howell County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 33% wage gap accumulates to roughly $444,465 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Howell County, Missouri has narrowed from about 27% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2016, and was narrowest at 14% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,464 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Howell County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.0% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 881 people are unemployed in Howell County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Howell County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Howell County, Missouri has fallen from 6.8% to 5.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.7% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.1% in 2019.
Howell County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Howell County, MO is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 40,383 residents against a local median of 8,873. The measure that sets Howell County, MO apart most is income growth: 5.4%/yr, 22% above the local median of 4.4%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $51,550 against a local median of $44,159, 17% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Howell County, MO is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 5.0%/yr on income growth, so Howell County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Howell County, MO has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Howell County, MO | 40,383 | $51,550 #2/6 | 5.4%/yr #2/6 | 5.0% #3/6 | 0.530 #3/6 |
| Fulton County, AR | 12,303 | $41,878 | 2.2%/yr | 4.6% | 0.523 |
| Oregon County, MO | 8,673 | $42,467 | 4.4%/yr | 5.2% | 0.523 |
| Texas County, MO | 25,161 | $50,042 | 4.4%/yr | 5.1% | 0.538 |
| Ozark County, MO | 8,873 | $44,159 | 4.5%/yr | 5.0% | 0.542 |
| Shannon County, MO | 7,177 | $56,188 | 7.2%/yr | 1.3% | 0.558 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Howell 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 Howell County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Howell County, Missouri?
Howell 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 $51,550, about 27% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How fast is household income rising in Howell County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Howell County, Missouri rose 59%, from $32,341 to $51,550. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +59% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Howell County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Howell County, Missouri was $49,832, up 8% from $46,186 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Howell County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Howell County, Missouri was $39,418. By 2024 it had risen 31% to $51,550.
What is the Gini coefficient in Howell County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Howell 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 Howell County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Howell County, Missouri has narrowed from about 27% to 25% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2016, and was narrowest at 14% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,464 since 2009.
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