Lafayette County, Missouri Income Statistics
Lafayette 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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C
Lafayette County Below averageWealthier than 84% of counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lafayette County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $80,512 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $51,670 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.2% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.6% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lafayette County is about 14% higher than in Missouri. Income has been growing faster in Lafayette County (5.9%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Lafayette 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 Lafayette County, Missouri grew by 69.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $80,512 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lafayette County
| Metric | Lafayette County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.496 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $65,037 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $48,188 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 25.9% | 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 Lafayette County, it is 0.496, lower than Missouri's 0.532, so income is more 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 35% more than women's income in Lafayette County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 35% wage gap accumulates to roughly $589,715 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lafayette County, Missouri has narrowed from about 28% to 26% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2023, and was narrowest at 18% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,504 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lafayette County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.0% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.0% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 509 people are unemployed in Lafayette County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Lafayette County is 23 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lafayette County, Missouri has fallen from 4.7% to 3.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.0% in 2014 and fell as low as 2.2% in 2023.
Lafayette County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lafayette County, MO is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 33,096 residents against a local median of 23,231. Where Lafayette County, MO breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 30% above the local median of 4.5%/yr at 5.9%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 3.0% against a local median of 4.2%, 28% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Lafayette County, MO is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 1.3%/yr on income growth, so Lafayette County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Lafayette County, MO has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette County, MO | 33,096 | $80,512 #1/6 | 5.9%/yr #1/6 | 3.0% #1/6 | 0.496 #1/6 |
| Johnson County, MO | 54,730 | $67,212 | 4.1%/yr | 4.2% | 0.522 |
| Ray County, MO | 23,145 | $74,607 | 4.1%/yr | 3.4% | 0.517 |
| Carroll County, MO | 8,411 | $62,893 | 5.3%/yr | 4.3% | 0.496 |
| Jackson County, MO | 719,648 | $68,888 | 4.5%/yr | 4.6% | 0.521 |
| Saline County, MO | 23,231 | $58,602 | 4.7%/yr | 3.2% | 0.524 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lafayette County, Missouri has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Missouri, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lafayette County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Lafayette County, Missouri?
Lafayette County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $80,512, about 14% higher than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How has median household income changed in Lafayette County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lafayette County, Missouri rose 69%, from $47,608 to $80,512. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +69% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Lafayette County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lafayette County, Missouri was $79,341, up 1% from $78,683 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Lafayette County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lafayette County, Missouri was $63,118. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $80,512.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lafayette County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Lafayette County is 0.496. 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 Lafayette County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lafayette County, Missouri has narrowed from about 28% to 26% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2023, and was narrowest at 18% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,504 since 2009.
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