Kemper County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Kemper 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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F
Kemper County Well below averageLess wealthy than 83% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Kemper County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $46,505 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $36,421 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.0% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.8% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.3% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Kemper County is about 18% lower than in Mississippi. Income has been growing faster in Kemper County (6.0%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Kemper County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Mississippi average of 7%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Kemper County, Mississippi grew by 55.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $46,505 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Kemper County
| Metric | Kemper County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.554 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $43,042 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $34,544 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 19.7% | 22.8% | 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 Kemper County, it is 0.554, lower than Mississippi's 0.566, so income is more 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 25% more than women's income in Kemper County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 25% wage gap accumulates to roughly $297,430 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kemper County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 22% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2023, and in 2020 women out-earned men by 1%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,695 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Kemper County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 10.8% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 0.8% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 30 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 415 people are unemployed in Kemper County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Kemper County is 30 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Kemper County, Mississippi has risen from 9.7% to 10.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.4% in 2020 and fell as low as 6.8% in 2017.
Kemper County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Kemper County, MS is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 8,729 residents against a local median of 17,536. The measure that sets Kemper County, MS apart most is unemployment: 10.8%, 45% above the local median of 7.5%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 6.4% on unemployment, so Kemper County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Kemper County, MS 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kemper County, MS | 8,729 | $46,505 #4/6 | 6.0%/yr #3/6 | 10.8% #5/6 | 0.554 #1/6 |
| Lauderdale County, MS | 71,502 | $50,967 | 3.5%/yr | 5.6% | 0.564 |
| Noxubee County, MS | 10,025 | $34,343 | 1.3%/yr | 8.6% | 0.577 |
| Sumter County, AL | 11,878 | $34,130 | 6.9%/yr | 12.0% | 0.596 |
| Neshoba County, MS | 28,932 | $57,703 | 6.0%/yr | 7.5% | 0.576 |
| Winston County, MS | 17,536 | $53,252 | 6.3%/yr | 6.7% | 0.555 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Kemper County, Mississippi has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Mississippi, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Kemper County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Kemper County, Mississippi?
Kemper County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $46,505, about 18% lower than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
Are incomes growing in Kemper County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Kemper County, Mississippi rose 56%, from $29,897 to $46,505. Over the same years, income here outpaced Mississippi as a whole: +56% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Kemper County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Kemper County, Mississippi was $43,152, down 1% from $43,456 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Kemper County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Kemper County, Mississippi was $30,678. By 2024 it had risen 52% to $46,505.
Is unemployment high in Kemper County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Kemper County, Mississippi is 10.8%, well above the Mississippi rate of 5.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Kemper County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Kemper County is 0.554. 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 Kemper County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Kemper County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 22% to 20% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2023, and in 2020 women out-earned men by 1%. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,695 since 2009.
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