McLean County, North Dakota Income Statistics
McLean 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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B
McLean County Around averageWealthier than 75% of counties in North Dakota
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $82,764 | $76,862 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $63,309 | $59,016 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.2% | 3.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 15.8% | 12.1% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.0% | 9.6% | 13.2% |
The median household income in McLean County is about 8% higher than in North Dakota. Income has been growing faster in McLean County (4.2%/yr) than in North Dakota (3.3%/yr).
About 16% of adults in McLean County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the North Dakota average of 12%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in McLean County, North Dakota grew by 63.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $82,764 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.2% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in McLean County
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.509 | 0.506 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $83,951 | $67,903 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $53,884 | $53,536 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 35.8% | 21.2% | 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 McLean County, it is 0.509, about the same as North Dakota's 0.506, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 56% more than women's income in McLean County, North Dakota. Over a 35-year career, a 56% wage gap accumulates to roughly $1,052,345 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McLean County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 39% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2011, and was narrowest at 33% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,382 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | McLean County | North Dakota Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.4% | 2.7% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.2% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 13 | 22 |
Approximately 63 people are unemployed in McLean County, North Dakota.
The average commute time in McLean County is 17 minutes, longer than the 13 minutes in North Dakota.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in McLean County, North Dakota has fallen from 2.7% to 1.4% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 1.2% in 2019.
McLean County, ND Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
McLean County, ND is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 9,823 residents against a local median of 8,337. McLean County, ND's income growth, at 4.2%/yr, runs 52% above the 2.7%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 1.4% against a local median of 2.5%, 46% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so McLean County, ND is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 1.7%/yr on income growth, so McLean County, ND sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. McLean County, ND has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McLean County, ND | 9,823 | $82,764 #2/6 | 4.2%/yr #1/6 | 1.4% #2/6 | 0.509 #5/6 |
| Oliver County, ND | 1,839 | $79,756 | 2.7%/yr | 1.0% | 0.497 |
| Mercer County, ND | 8,337 | $83,349 | 1.6%/yr | 2.5% | 0.538 |
| Ward County, ND | 68,973 | $78,102 | 2.7%/yr | 3.2% | 0.504 |
| Morton County, ND | 33,777 | $79,602 | 2.7%/yr | 1.5% | 0.482 |
| McHenry County, ND | 5,207 | $78,692 | 3.3%/yr | 4.1% | 0.503 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, McLean County, North Dakota has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than North Dakota, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in McLean County, North Dakota.
How Rich Is McLean County, North Dakota?
McLean County has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $82,764, about 8% higher than the North Dakota average of $76,862.
How has median household income changed in McLean County, North Dakota?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in McLean County, North Dakota rose 63%, from $50,698 to $82,764. Over the same years, income here lagged behind North Dakota as a whole: +63% against +70%.
What was the median household income in McLean County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in McLean County, North Dakota was $81,812, up 2% from $80,380 in 2022. The North Dakota median that year was $76,063.
What was the median household income in McLean County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in McLean County, North Dakota was $70,999. By 2024 it had risen 17% to $82,764.
Is unemployment high in McLean County, North Dakota?
Unemployment in McLean County, North Dakota is only 1.4%, well below the North Dakota rate of 2.7%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in McLean County, North Dakota?
The Gini coefficient in McLean County is 0.509. 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 McLean County, North Dakota?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in McLean County, North Dakota has narrowed from about 39% to 36% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2011, and was narrowest at 33% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $11,382 since 2009.
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