Pettis County, Missouri Income Statistics
Pettis 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
Pettis County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Pettis County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $60,475 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,589 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.2% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.1% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Pettis County is about 15% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing faster in Pettis County (5.2%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Pettis 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 Pettis County, Missouri grew by 64.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $60,475 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Pettis County
| Metric | Pettis County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.534 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,869 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $42,324 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 26.9% | 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 Pettis County, it is 0.534, 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 37% more than women's income in Pettis County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 37% wage gap accumulates to roughly $544,075 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pettis County, Missouri has widened from about 26% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and was narrowest at 18% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,919 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Pettis County widened by 0.6 points while Missouri's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Pettis County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.8% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.0% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 804 people are unemployed in Pettis County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Pettis County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Pettis County, Missouri has fallen from 6.5% to 3.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.9% in 2012.
Pettis County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Pettis County, MO is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 43,397 residents against a local median of 21,717. Nothing separates Pettis County, MO sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is income growth, 11% below the local median at 5.2%/yr against 5.8%/yr. Pettis County, MO has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pettis County, MO | 43,397 | $60,475 #3/6 | 5.2%/yr #4/6 | 3.8% #4/6 | 0.534 #5/6 |
| Saline County, MO | 23,231 | $58,602 | 4.7%/yr | 3.2% | 0.524 |
| Benton County, MO | 20,151 | $52,808 | 6.0%/yr | 3.8% | 0.532 |
| Cooper County, MO | 16,823 | $70,419 | 5.8%/yr | 4.3% | 0.528 |
| Morgan County, MO | 21,717 | $53,120 | 6.3%/yr | 2.9% | 0.559 |
| Johnson County, MO | 54,730 | $67,212 | 4.1%/yr | 4.2% | 0.522 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Pettis County, Missouri has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Missouri, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Pettis County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Pettis County, Missouri?
Pettis 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 $60,475, about 15% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How has median household income changed in Pettis County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Pettis County, Missouri rose 64%, from $36,838 to $60,475. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +64% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Pettis County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Pettis County, Missouri was $60,285, up 4% from $58,002 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Pettis County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Pettis County, Missouri was $49,340. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $60,475.
What is the Gini coefficient in Pettis County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Pettis County is 0.534. 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 Pettis County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Pettis County, Missouri has widened from about 26% to 27% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2023, and was narrowest at 18% in 2015. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $5,919 since 2009.
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