Vernon County, Missouri Income Statistics
Vernon 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
Vernon County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Vernon County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $52,977 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,605 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.4% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.7% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Vernon County is about 25% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Vernon County (3.4%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 4% of adults in Vernon 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 Vernon County, Missouri grew by 57.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $52,977 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Vernon County
| Metric | Vernon County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.531 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $49,326 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,162 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.6% | 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 Vernon County, it is 0.531, 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 23% more than women's income in Vernon County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $320,740 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Vernon County, Missouri has widened from about 16% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,987 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Vernon County widened by 2.4 points while Missouri's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Vernon County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.2% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 11.8% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 374 people are unemployed in Vernon County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Vernon County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Vernon County, Missouri has fallen from 6.5% to 4.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 3.7% in 2018.
Vernon County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Vernon County, MO is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,687 residents against a local median of 14,394. The measure that sets Vernon County, MO apart most is income growth: 3.4%/yr, 29% below the local median of 4.8%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 4.2% against a local median of 3.3%, 27% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Vernon County, MO reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.2%/yr on income growth, so Vernon County, MO sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Vernon County, MO has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vernon County, MO | 19,687 | $52,977 #3/6 | 3.4%/yr #6/6 | 4.2% #4/6 | 0.531 #4/6 |
| Barton County, MO | 11,690 | $51,799 | 3.7%/yr | 3.3% | 0.549 |
| Bates County, MO | 16,186 | $60,821 | 5.0%/yr | 5.9% | 0.519 |
| Cedar County, MO | 14,615 | $48,492 | 4.8%/yr | 2.6% | 0.542 |
| Bourbon County, KS | 14,394 | $59,363 | 4.8%/yr | 5.3% | 0.505 |
| St. Clair County, MO | 9,587 | $52,864 | 5.9%/yr | 3.3% | 0.506 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Vernon 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 Vernon County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Vernon County, Missouri?
Vernon 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 $52,977, about 25% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How has median household income changed in Vernon County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Vernon County, Missouri rose 58%, from $33,552 to $52,977. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +58% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Vernon County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Vernon County, Missouri was $54,054, up 2% from $53,168 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Vernon County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Vernon County, Missouri was $44,141. By 2024 it had risen 20% to $52,977.
What is the Gini coefficient in Vernon County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Vernon County is 0.531. 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 Vernon County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Vernon County, Missouri has widened from about 16% to 19% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 27% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,987 since 2009.
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