Polk County, Missouri Income Statistics
Polk 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
Polk County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $59,586 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,509 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.3% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.0% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.8% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Polk County is about 16% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Polk County (4.3%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Polk 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 Polk County, Missouri grew by 60.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $59,586 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.3% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Polk County
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.552 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,063 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,329 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.8% | 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 Polk County, it is 0.552, 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 23% more than women's income in Polk County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $375,690 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Missouri has narrowed from about 37% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 13% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,685 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Polk County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.3% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 593 people are unemployed in Polk County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Polk County is 23 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Polk County, Missouri has fallen from 9.6% to 4.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.2% in 2012 and fell as low as 2.5% in 2020.
Polk County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Polk County, MO is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 32,444 residents against a local median of 14,615. Where Polk County, MO breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 18% above the local median of 3.4% at 4.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 11.2% on unemployment, so Polk County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Polk County, MO has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polk County, MO | 32,444 | $59,586 #2/6 | 4.3%/yr #5/6 | 4.0% #5/6 | 0.552 #5/6 |
| Hickory County, MO | 8,585 | $39,283 | 2.5%/yr | 13.7% | 0.553 |
| Greene County, MO | 303,351 | $61,985 | 5.0%/yr | 3.4% | 0.528 |
| Dallas County, MO | 17,551 | $52,964 | 4.5%/yr | 3.9% | 0.538 |
| Cedar County, MO | 14,615 | $48,492 | 4.8%/yr | 2.6% | 0.542 |
| Dade County, MO | 7,641 | $54,214 | 4.8%/yr | 3.2% | 0.527 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Polk 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 Polk County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Polk County, Missouri?
Polk 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 $59,586, about 16% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
Are incomes growing in Polk County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Polk County, Missouri rose 60%, from $37,131 to $59,586. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +60% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Polk County, Missouri was $56,277, up 5% from $53,798 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Polk County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Polk County, Missouri was $46,826. By 2024 it had risen 27% to $59,586.
What is the Gini coefficient in Polk County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Polk County is 0.552. 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 Polk County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Polk County, Missouri has narrowed from about 37% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was narrowest at 13% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $4,685 since 2009.
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