Lee County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Lee 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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C
Lee County Below averageWealthier than 94% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Lee County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $68,266 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,851 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 9.1% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.1% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Lee County is about 20% higher than in Mississippi. Income has been growing faster in Lee County (5.9%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Lee County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Mississippi average of 7%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Lee County, Mississippi grew by 79.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $68,266 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Lee County
| Metric | Lee County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.546 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,170 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,957 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 23.1% | 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 Lee County, it is 0.546, lower than Mississippi's 0.566, 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 30% more than women's income in Lee County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 30% wage gap accumulates to roughly $462,455 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 26% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,349 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Lee County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 18 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 2,036 people are unemployed in Lee County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Lee County is 18 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Lee County, Mississippi has fallen from 6.5% to 5.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.7% in 2015.
Lee County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Lee County, MS is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 83,034 residents against a local median of 28,122. Lee County, MS's median household income, at $68,266, runs 31% above the $52,298 typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves sit within $7,552 of each other on median household income, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Lee County, MS, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Lee County, MS has the highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County, MS | 83,034 | $68,266 #1/6 | 5.9%/yr #2/6 | 5.0% #4/6 | 0.546 #3/6 |
| Itawamba County, MS | 24,036 | $57,203 | 6.2%/yr | 5.1% | 0.543 |
| Pontotoc County, MS | 31,525 | $52,298 | 3.6%/yr | 3.1% | 0.531 |
| Prentiss County, MS | 25,184 | $49,651 | 5.2%/yr | 3.5% | 0.557 |
| Union County, MS | 28,122 | $56,904 | 5.2%/yr | 4.4% | 0.554 |
| Monroe County, MS | 33,747 | $51,586 | 3.9%/yr | 6.3% | 0.561 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Lee County, Mississippi has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Mississippi, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Lee County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Lee County, Mississippi?
Lee County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $68,266, about 20% higher than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
How fast is household income rising in Lee County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Lee County, Mississippi rose 79%, from $38,122 to $68,266. Over the same years, income here outpaced Mississippi as a whole: +79% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Lee County, Mississippi was $67,825, up 4% from $65,525 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Lee County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Lee County, Mississippi was $55,526. By 2024 it had risen 23% to $68,266.
What is the Gini coefficient in Lee County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Lee County is 0.546. 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 Lee County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Lee County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 26% to 23% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 29% in 2022. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,349 since 2009.
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