Ray County, Missouri Income Statistics
Ray 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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B
Ray County Around averageWealthier than 91% of counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Ray County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $74,607 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $57,184 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.1% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.7% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.9% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Ray County is about 5% higher than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Ray County (4.1%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Ray 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 Ray County, Missouri grew by 44.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $74,607 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Ray County
| Metric | Ray County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.517 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $68,974 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $52,247 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 24.3% | 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 Ray County, it is 0.517, 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 32% more than women's income in Ray County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 32% wage gap accumulates to roughly $585,445 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ray County, Missouri has narrowed from about 33% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,501 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Ray County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.6% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 32 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 385 people are unemployed in Ray County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Ray County is 32 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Ray County, Missouri has fallen from 7.1% to 3.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 9.0% in 2014 and fell as low as 2.1% in 2023.
Ray County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Ray County, MO is typical in size for this group, 23,145 residents against a local median of 21,414, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Ray County, MO sits close to the middle of its own neighbourhood. No measure below is more than 15% off the local median, so the choice between these counties turns on things this data does not capture.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 13% above the local median at 3.4% against 3.0%. Ray County, MO has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ray County, MO | 23,145 | $74,607 #3/6 | 4.1%/yr #4/6 | 3.4% #4/6 | 0.517 #5/6 |
| Caldwell County, MO | 8,927 | $64,216 | 4.7%/yr | 2.9% | 0.517 |
| Lafayette County, MO | 33,096 | $80,512 | 5.9%/yr | 3.0% | 0.496 |
| Clay County, MO | 258,122 | $87,903 | 4.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.507 |
| Clinton County, MO | 21,414 | $71,052 | 2.6%/yr | 3.0% | 0.516 |
| Carroll County, MO | 8,411 | $62,893 | 5.3%/yr | 4.3% | 0.496 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Ray County, Missouri has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Missouri, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Ray County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Ray County, Missouri?
Ray County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $74,607, about 5% higher than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How fast is household income rising in Ray County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Ray County, Missouri rose 45%, from $51,530 to $74,607. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Missouri as a whole: +45% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Ray County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Ray County, Missouri was $73,263, up 4% from $70,677 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Ray County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Ray County, Missouri was $64,382. By 2024 it had risen 16% to $74,607.
What is the Gini coefficient in Ray County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Ray County is 0.517. 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 Ray County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Ray County, Missouri has narrowed from about 33% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 34% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,501 since 2009.
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