Knox County, Missouri Income Statistics
Knox 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
Knox County Well below averageLess wealthy than 70% of counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Knox County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,891 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $39,273 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.3% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.9% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.0% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Knox County is about 20% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing faster in Knox County (5.3%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Knox 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 Knox County, Missouri grew by 69.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,891 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Knox County
| Metric | Knox County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.543 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,048 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $34,766 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 36.8% | 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 Knox County, it is 0.543, higher than Missouri's 0.532, 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 58% more than women's income in Knox County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 58% wage gap accumulates to roughly $709,870 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Knox County, Missouri has widened from about 17% to 37% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 13% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $15,359 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Knox County widened by 19.8 points while Missouri's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Knox County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.1% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 22.4% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 16 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 19 people are unemployed in Knox County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Knox County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Knox County, Missouri has fallen from 7.0% to 1.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.6% in 2012.
Knox County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Knox County, MO is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 3,756 residents against a local median of 6,675. Where Knox County, MO breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 74% below the local median of 4.1% at 1.1%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.3%/yr against a local median of 3.6%/yr, 48% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Knox County, MO is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 4.1% on unemployment, so Knox County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Knox 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knox County, MO | 3,756 | $56,891 #4/6 | 5.3%/yr #3/6 | 1.1% #2/6 | 0.543 #4/6 |
| Scotland County, MO | 4,686 | $67,842 | 6.8%/yr | 1.0% | 0.544 |
| Shelby County, MO | 5,986 | $52,143 | 2.9%/yr | 1.8% | 0.528 |
| Lewis County, MO | 9,924 | $59,906 | 3.6%/yr | 5.1% | 0.523 |
| Adair County, MO | 25,301 | $61,312 | 6.3%/yr | 4.1% | 0.600 |
| Clark County, MO | 6,675 | $53,489 | 2.3%/yr | 5.0% | 0.531 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Knox 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 Knox County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Knox County, Missouri?
Knox 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 $56,891, about 20% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How has median household income changed in Knox County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Knox County, Missouri rose 69%, from $33,616 to $56,891. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +69% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Knox County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Knox County, Missouri was $54,615, up 11% from $49,230 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Knox County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Knox County, Missouri was $36,802. By 2024 it had risen 55% to $56,891.
Is it hard to find a job in Knox County, Missouri?
Unemployment in Knox County, Missouri is only 1.1%, well below the Missouri rate of 4.0%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Knox County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Knox County is 0.543. 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 Knox County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Knox County, Missouri has widened from about 17% to 37% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 13% in 2010. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $15,359 since 2009.
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