Wayne County, Missouri Income Statistics
Wayne 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
Wayne County Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy counties in Missouri
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Wayne County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $47,247 | $70,801 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $40,789 | $54,686 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.7% | 10.5% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.3% | 8.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Wayne County is about 33% lower than in Missouri. Income has been growing slower in Wayne County (4.2%/yr) than in Missouri (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Wayne 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 Wayne County, Missouri grew by 70.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $47,247 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Wayne County
| Metric | Wayne County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.526 | 0.532 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,630 | $64,288 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,527 | $51,060 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 20.8% | 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 Wayne County, it is 0.526, 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 26% more than women's income in Wayne County, Missouri. Over a 35-year career, a 26% wage gap accumulates to roughly $353,605 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wayne County, Missouri has widened from about 17% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2018, and was narrowest at 10% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,535 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Wayne County widened by 3.9 points while Missouri's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Wayne County | Missouri Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.3% | 4.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.1% | 13.0% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 23 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 310 people are unemployed in Wayne County, Missouri.
The average commute time in Wayne County is 23 minutes, longer than the 20 minutes in Missouri.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Wayne County, Missouri has fallen from 10.0% to 7.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 6.5% in 2019.
Wayne County, MO Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Wayne County, MO is typical in size for this group, 10,862 residents against a local median of 10,559, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Wayne County, MO's unemployment, at 7.3%, runs 91% above the 3.8% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves sit within 1.8% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Wayne County, MO, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Wayne County, MO has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne County, MO | 10,862 | $47,247 #6/6 | 4.2%/yr #3/6 | 7.3% #6/6 | 0.526 #5/6 |
| Madison County, MO | 12,729 | $56,103 | 5.8%/yr | 4.8% | 0.501 |
| Butler County, MO | 42,020 | $48,932 | 3.8%/yr | 4.8% | 0.531 |
| Bollinger County, MO | 10,559 | $62,593 | 6.0%/yr | 3.5% | 0.517 |
| Carter County, MO | 5,297 | $50,000 | 3.5%/yr | 3.8% | 0.516 |
| Iron County, MO | 9,446 | $49,236 | 4.0%/yr | 3.0% | 0.520 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Wayne 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 Wayne County, Missouri.
How Rich Is Wayne County, Missouri?
Wayne 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 $47,247, about 33% lower than the Missouri average of $70,801.
How fast is household income rising in Wayne County, Missouri?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Wayne County, Missouri rose 70%, from $27,727 to $47,247. Over the same years, income here outpaced Missouri as a whole: +70% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Wayne County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Wayne County, Missouri was $43,620, up 2% from $42,596 in 2022. The Missouri median that year was $69,047.
What was the median household income in Wayne County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Wayne County, Missouri was $37,430. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $47,247.
Is unemployment high in Wayne County, Missouri?
Unemployment in Wayne County, Missouri is 7.3%, well above the Missouri rate of 4.0%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Wayne County, Missouri?
The Gini coefficient in Wayne County is 0.526. 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 Wayne County, Missouri?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Wayne County, Missouri has widened from about 17% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 28% in 2018, and was narrowest at 10% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,535 since 2009.
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