Hooker County, Nebraska Income Statistics
Hooker 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.
-
D
Hooker County Well below averageLeast wealthy county in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Hooker County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,778 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $46,324 | $56,814 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.8% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 8.2% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 1.5% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Hooker County is about 35% lower than in Nebraska. Income has been growing slower in Hooker County (3.8%/yr) than in Nebraska (4.3%/yr).
About 8% of adults in Hooker 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 Hooker County, Nebraska grew by 38.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,778 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Hooker County
| Metric | Hooker County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.494 | 0.515 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,666 | $65,618 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,323 | $52,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 10.3% | 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 Hooker County, it is 0.494, 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 12% more than women's income in Hooker County, Nebraska. Over a 35-year career, a 12% wage gap accumulates to roughly $187,005 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hooker County, Nebraska has narrowed from about 42% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 43% in 2014, and in 2023 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $11,064 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Hooker County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 3.9% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 10.6% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 7 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 14 people are unemployed in Hooker County, Nebraska.
The average commute time in Hooker County is 7 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Nebraska.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Hooker County, Nebraska has risen from 1.8% to 3.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate fell as low as 1.0% in 2017.
Hooker County, NE Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Hooker County, NE is typical in size for this group, 647 residents against a local median of 564, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. The measure that sets Hooker County, NE apart most is unemployment: 3.9%, 289% above the local median of 1.0%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 3.8%/yr against a local median of 2.7%/yr, 43% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Hooker County, NE is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves sit within 1.1% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and Hooker County, NE, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. Hooker County, NE has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hooker County, NE | 647 | $49,778 #6/6 | 3.8%/yr #3/6 | 3.9% #6/6 | 0.494 #3/6 |
| McPherson County, NE | 475 | $54,736 | 1.5%/yr | 1.0% | 0.527 |
| Thomas County, NE | 564 | $63,970 | 2.1%/yr | 2.1% | 0.423 |
| Grant County, NE | 626 | $63,620 | 5.2%/yr | 1.0% | 0.536 |
| Cherry County, NE | 5,498 | $64,430 | 2.7%/yr | 1.0% | 0.480 |
| Arthur County, NE | 484 | $75,833 | 8.4%/yr | 1.0% | 0.527 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Hooker County, Nebraska has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Nebraska, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Hooker County, Nebraska.
How Rich Is Hooker County, Nebraska?
Hooker 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 $49,778, about 35% lower than the Nebraska average of $76,615.
Are incomes growing in Hooker County, Nebraska?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Hooker County, Nebraska rose 39%, from $35,875 to $49,778. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Nebraska as a whole: +39% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Hooker County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Hooker County, Nebraska was $46,372, up 8% from $42,843 in 2022. The Nebraska median that year was $74,986.
What was the median household income in Hooker County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Hooker County, Nebraska was $47,499. By 2024 it had risen 5% to $49,778.
What is the Gini coefficient in Hooker County, Nebraska?
The Gini coefficient in Hooker County is 0.494. 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 Hooker County, Nebraska?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Hooker County, Nebraska has narrowed from about 42% to 10% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 43% in 2014, and in 2023 women out-earned men by 3%. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $11,064 since 2009.
Analyze any area in the US
Get local demographics for any address, aggregated by drive time or radius, on the interactive map.
Explore the map →