Sunflower County, Mississippi Income Statistics
Sunflower 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
Sunflower County Well below averageAmong the 3 least wealthy counties in Mississippi
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Sunflower County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $39,946 | $56,669 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $37,649 | $48,086 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.9% | 7.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.1% | 5.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Sunflower County is about 30% lower than in Mississippi. Income has been growing faster in Sunflower County (4.8%/yr) than in Mississippi (4.3%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Sunflower 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 Sunflower County, Mississippi grew by 63.4% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $39,946 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Sunflower County
| Metric | Sunflower County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.608 | 0.566 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $38,430 | $56,525 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $38,805 | $43,645 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | -1.0% | 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 Sunflower County, it is 0.608, higher than Mississippi's 0.566, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Women's income is about 1% more than men's income in Sunflower County, Mississippi.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sunflower County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 11% to -1% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,593 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Sunflower County | Mississippi Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 11.2% | 5.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.6% | 5.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,115 people are unemployed in Sunflower County, Mississippi.
The average commute time in Sunflower County is 15 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Mississippi.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Sunflower County, Mississippi has fallen from 19.8% to 11.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2012 and fell as low as 10.9% in 2023.
Sunflower County, MS Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Sunflower County, MS is typical in size for this group, 24,333 residents against a local median of 27,141, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. There is no headline here. Every measure below sits within 15% of the median across the nearest counties, which makes Sunflower County, MS an unremarkable member of its own neighbourhood rather than an outlier in it.
The largest of those small differences is unemployment, 11% above the local median at 11.2% against 10.1%. Sunflower County, MS has the 4th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunflower County, MS | 24,333 | $39,946 #2/6 | 4.8%/yr #2/6 | 11.2% #4/6 | 0.608 #6/6 |
| Leflore County, MS | 27,141 | $35,350 | 4.3%/yr | 11.6% | 0.582 |
| Bolivar County, MS | 29,520 | $39,667 | 4.6%/yr | 7.1% | 0.595 |
| Humphreys County, MS | 7,395 | $33,899 | 4.4%/yr | 12.5% | 0.598 |
| Washington County, MS | 42,708 | $41,953 | 5.0%/yr | 6.3% | 0.578 |
| Tallahatchie County, MS | 11,764 | $38,573 | 3.3%/yr | 10.1% | 0.564 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Sunflower 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 Sunflower County, Mississippi.
How Rich Is Sunflower County, Mississippi?
Sunflower 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 $39,946, about 30% lower than the Mississippi average of $56,669.
How fast is household income rising in Sunflower County, Mississippi?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Sunflower County, Mississippi rose 63%, from $24,443 to $39,946. Over the same years, income here outpaced Mississippi as a whole: +63% against +54%.
What was the median household income in Sunflower County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Sunflower County, Mississippi was $40,266, up 5% from $38,451 in 2022. The Mississippi median that year was $55,083.
What was the median household income in Sunflower County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Sunflower County, Mississippi was $31,764. By 2024 it had risen 26% to $39,946.
How strong is the job market in Sunflower County, Mississippi?
Unemployment in Sunflower County, Mississippi is 11.2%, well above the Mississippi rate of 5.7%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Sunflower County, Mississippi?
The Gini coefficient in Sunflower County is 0.608. 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 Sunflower County, Mississippi?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Sunflower County, Mississippi has narrowed from about 11% to -1% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 17% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,593 since 2009.
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