Monroe County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Monroe 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
Monroe County Well below averageWealthier than 72% of counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Monroe County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,586 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,480 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.9% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.1% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.7% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Monroe County is about 9% lower than in Mississippi. Income has been growing slower in Monroe County (3.9%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Monroe 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 Monroe County, Mississippi grew by 55.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,586 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Monroe County
| Metric | Monroe County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.561 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $57,583 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,653 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 32.9% | 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 Monroe County, it is 0.561, lower than Mississippi's 0.566, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 49% more than women's income in Monroe County, Mississippi. Over a 35-year career, a 49% wage gap accumulates to roughly $662,550 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Monroe County, Mississippi has widened from about 30% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2021, and was narrowest at 28% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,889 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Monroe County widened by 3.3 points while Mississippi's narrowed by 2.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Monroe County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 932 people are unemployed in Monroe County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Monroe County is 22 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Monroe County, Mississippi has fallen from 10.7% to 6.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.3% in 2014 and fell as low as 5.0% in 2019.
Monroe County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Monroe County, MS is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 33,747 residents against a local median of 24,036. Where Monroe County, MS breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 21% below the local median of 4.9%/yr at 3.9%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 6.3% against a local median of 5.5%, 16% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Monroe County, MS reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.9%/yr on income growth, so Monroe County, MS sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Monroe County, MS has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, MS | 33,747 | $51,586 #4/6 | 3.9%/yr #4/6 | 6.3% #5/6 | 0.561 #6/6 |
| Clay County, MS | 18,383 | $43,569 | 3.7%/yr | 7.2% | 0.527 |
| Lamar County, AL | 13,693 | $50,000 | 4.9%/yr | 5.5% | 0.558 |
| Itawamba County, MS | 24,036 | $57,203 | 6.2%/yr | 5.1% | 0.543 |
| Lowndes County, MS | 57,838 | $53,630 | 3.3%/yr | 6.0% | 0.554 |
| Lee County, MS | 83,034 | $68,266 | 5.9%/yr | 5.0% | 0.546 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Monroe County, Mississippi has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Mississippi, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Monroe County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Monroe County, Mississippi?
Monroe 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 $51,586, about 9% lower than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
How has median household income changed in Monroe County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Monroe County, Mississippi rose 55%, from $33,231 to $51,586. Over the same years, income here outpaced Mississippi as a whole: +55% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Monroe County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Monroe County, Mississippi was $51,543, about the same as in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Monroe County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Monroe County, Mississippi was $45,018. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $51,586.
What is the Gini coefficient in Monroe County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Monroe County is 0.561. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Monroe County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Monroe County, Mississippi has widened from about 30% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 39% in 2021, and was narrowest at 28% in 2019. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,889 since 2009.
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