Hayes County, Nebraska Income Statistics
Hayes 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
Hayes County Around averageWealthier than 72% of counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hayes County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $63,940 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,705 | $56,814 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.8% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.0% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hayes County is about 17% lower than in Nebraska. Income has been growing faster in Hayes County (4.8%/yr) than in Nebraska (4.3%/yr).
About 9% of adults in Hayes County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Nebraska average of 11%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Hayes County, Nebraska grew by 64.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $63,940 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hayes County
| Metric | Hayes County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.484 | 0.515 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,694 | $65,618 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,090 | $52,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.0% | 19.5% | 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 Hayes County, it is 0.484, lower than Nebraska's 0.515, 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 15% more than women's income in Hayes County, Nebraska. Over a 35-year career, a 15% wage gap accumulates to roughly $231,140 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hayes County, Nebraska has narrowed from about 19% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 48% in 2023, and was narrowest at 10% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $744 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Hayes County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.0% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 6.0% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 16 | 22 |
The average commute time in Hayes County is 20 minutes, longer than the 16 minutes in Nebraska.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hayes County, Nebraska has fallen from 1.4% to 1.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 2.5% in 2012 and fell as low as 1.0% in 2020.
Hayes County, NE Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hayes County, NE is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 843 residents against a local median of 2,821. Hayes County, NE's income growth, at 4.8%/yr, runs 54% above the 3.1%/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: 1.0% against a local median of 1.9%, 47% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Hayes County, NE is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread 1.0%/yr on income growth, so Hayes County, NE sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Hayes County, NE 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hayes County, NE | 843 | $63,940 #5/6 | 4.8%/yr #1/6 | 1.0% #1/6 | 0.484 #2/6 |
| Hitchcock County, NE | 2,569 | $53,211 | 3.5%/yr | 1.7% | 0.541 |
| Lincoln County, NE | 33,802 | $65,832 | 2.9%/yr | 3.6% | 0.507 |
| Chase County, NE | 3,671 | $67,957 | 3.0%/yr | 1.9% | 0.496 |
| Frontier County, NE | 2,569 | $69,999 | 4.0%/yr | 2.6% | 0.508 |
| Perkins County, NE | 2,821 | $71,390 | 3.1%/yr | 1.5% | 0.473 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hayes County, Nebraska has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it about on par with Nebraska, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Hayes County, Nebraska.
How Rich Is Hayes County, Nebraska?
Hayes 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 $63,940, about 17% lower than the Nebraska average of $76,615.
How has median household income changed in Hayes County, Nebraska?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hayes County, Nebraska rose 64%, from $38,921 to $63,940. Over the same years, income here outpaced Nebraska as a whole: +64% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Hayes County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hayes County, Nebraska was $60,703, up 4% from $58,610 in 2022. The Nebraska median that year was $74,986.
What was the median household income in Hayes County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hayes County, Nebraska was $52,500. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $63,940.
Is unemployment high in Hayes County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Hayes County, Nebraska is only 1.0%, well below the Nebraska rate of 3.0%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hayes County, Nebraska?
The Gini coefficient in Hayes County is 0.484. 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 Hayes County, Nebraska?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hayes County, Nebraska has narrowed from about 19% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 48% in 2023, and was narrowest at 10% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $744 since 2009.
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