McDonald County, Missouri Income Statistics
McDonald 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
McDonald County Well below averageLess wealthy than 77% of counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | McDonald County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,681 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,802 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.2% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.8% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in McDonald County is about 24% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in McDonald County (4.2%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 5% of adults in McDonald 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 McDonald County, Missouri grew by 45.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,681 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in McDonald County
| Metric | McDonald County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.553 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $47,017 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,197 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.9% | 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 McDonald County, it is 0.553, higher than Missouri's 0.532, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 26% more than women's income in McDonald County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $343,700 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McDonald County, Missouri has narrowed from about 27% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 8% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $347 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | McDonald County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.1% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 709 people are unemployed in McDonald County, Missouri.
The average commute time in McDonald County is 23 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in McDonald County, Missouri has fallen from 8.9% to 6.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.9% in 2013 and fell as low as 4.2% in 2019.
McDonald County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
McDonald County, MO is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 23,701 residents against a local median of 41,279. McDonald County, MO's unemployment, at 6.8%, runs 50% above the 4.6% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 4.2%/yr against a local median of 5.0%/yr, 16% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: McDonald County, MO reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.9% on unemployment, so McDonald County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. McDonald County, MO has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McDonald County, MO | 23,701 | $53,681 #5/6 | 4.2%/yr #5/6 | 6.8% #6/6 | 0.553 #5/6 |
| Newton County, MO | 60,118 | $65,823 | 5.0%/yr | 5.9% | 0.535 |
| Benton County, AR | 303,622 | $93,533 | 5.9%/yr | 3.1% | 0.537 |
| Delaware County, OK | 41,279 | $56,237 | 4.9%/yr | 5.2% | 0.554 |
| Ottawa County, OK | 30,341 | $49,940 | 3.7%/yr | 3.0% | 0.540 |
| Barry County, MO | 35,028 | $58,172 | 5.3%/yr | 4.6% | 0.535 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, McDonald 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 McDonald County, Missouri.
How Rich Is McDonald County, Missouri?
McDonald 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 $53,681, about 24% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How fast is household income rising in McDonald County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in McDonald County, Missouri rose 46%, from $36,892 to $53,681. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Missouri as a whole: +46% against +54%.
What was the median household income in McDonald County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in McDonald County, Missouri was $47,934, up 3% from $46,716 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in McDonald County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in McDonald County, Missouri was $43,633. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $53,681.
How strong is the job market in McDonald County, Missouri?
Unemployment in McDonald County, Missouri is 6.8%, well above the Missouri rate of 4.0%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in McDonald County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in McDonald County is 0.553. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in McDonald County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McDonald County, Missouri has narrowed from about 27% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 8% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $347 since 2009.
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