Phelps County, Missouri Income Statistics
Phelps 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
Phelps County Well below averageLess wealthy than 73% of counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Phelps County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $58,562 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,030 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.6% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.1% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Phelps County is about 17% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Phelps County (4.4%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Phelps 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 Phelps County, Missouri grew by 55.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $58,562 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Phelps County
| Metric | Phelps County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.570 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,689 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,172 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.7% | 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 Phelps County, it is 0.570, higher than Missouri's 0.532, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 26% more than women's income in Phelps County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $403,095 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Phelps County, Missouri has narrowed from about 34% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,202 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Phelps County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.4% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 787 people are unemployed in Phelps County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Phelps County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Phelps County, Missouri has fallen from 8.0% to 3.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 8.1% in 2014.
Phelps County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Phelps County, MO is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 45,194 residents against a local median of 22,797. Where Phelps County, MO breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 19% below the local median of 4.8% at 3.9%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 2.0% on unemployment, so Phelps County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Phelps 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Phelps County, MO | 45,194 | $58,562 #3/6 | 4.4%/yr #5/6 | 3.9% #2/6 | 0.570 #6/6 |
| Maries County, MO | 8,450 | $59,513 | 5.1%/yr | 4.8% | 0.519 |
| Dent County, MO | 14,539 | $55,555 | 5.0%/yr | 4.4% | 0.521 |
| Pulaski County, MO | 53,894 | $65,978 | 3.7%/yr | 3.1% | 0.514 |
| Crawford County, MO | 22,797 | $58,081 | 5.9%/yr | 4.9% | 0.506 |
| Texas County, MO | 25,161 | $50,042 | 4.4%/yr | 5.1% | 0.538 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Phelps 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 Phelps County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Phelps County, Missouri?
Phelps 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 $58,562, about 17% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How has median household income changed in Phelps County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Phelps County, Missouri rose 55%, from $37,687 to $58,562. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +55% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Phelps County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Phelps County, Missouri was $55,258, up 3% from $53,583 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Phelps County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Phelps County, Missouri was $44,987. By 2024 it had risen 30% to $58,562.
What is the Gini coefficient in Phelps County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Phelps County is 0.570. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Phelps County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Phelps County, Missouri has narrowed from about 34% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $2,202 since 2009.
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