Jefferson County, Nebraska Income Statistics
Jefferson 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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C
Jefferson County Below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Nebraska
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $59,034 | $76,615 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $49,779 | $56,814 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.7% | 4.3% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.9% | 11.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.8% | 9.4% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Jefferson County is about 23% lower than in Nebraska. Income has been growing slower in Jefferson County (3.7%/yr) than in Nebraska (4.3%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Jefferson 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 Jefferson County, Nebraska grew by 52.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $59,034 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Jefferson County
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.482 | 0.515 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $59,789 | $65,618 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $46,546 | $52,854 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 22.1% | 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 Jefferson County, it is 0.482, 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 28% more than women's income in Jefferson County, Nebraska. Over a 35-year career, a 28% wage gap accumulates to roughly $463,505 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jefferson County, Nebraska has widened from about 18% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,237 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Jefferson County widened by 4.3 points while Nebraska's narrowed by 3.1 points.
Employment
| Metric | Jefferson County | Nebraska Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 1.2% | 3.0% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.7% | 11.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 11 | 16 | 22 |
Approximately 40 people are unemployed in Jefferson County, Nebraska.
The average commute time in Jefferson County is 11 minutes, shorter than the 16 minutes in Nebraska.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Jefferson County, Nebraska has fallen from 5.5% to 1.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.0% in 2013 and fell as low as 1.1% in 2022.
Jefferson County, NE Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Jefferson County, NE is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 7,161 residents against a local median of 5,541. The measure that sets Jefferson County, NE apart most is income growth: 3.7%/yr, 24% below the local median of 5.0%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 1.2% against a local median of 1.5%, 24% below it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: unemployment runs ahead of the neighbourhood while income growth runs behind it, so Jefferson County, NE is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.4%/yr on income growth, so Jefferson County, NE sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Jefferson County, NE has the 6th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, NE | 7,161 | $59,034 #6/6 | 3.7%/yr #6/6 | 1.2% #3/6 | 0.482 #2/6 |
| Saline County, NE | 14,650 | $80,633 | 6.5%/yr | 2.9% | 0.501 |
| Washington County, KS | 5,533 | $65,022 | 4.3%/yr | 1.1% | 0.477 |
| Thayer County, NE | 4,901 | $67,657 | 5.0%/yr | 2.0% | 0.493 |
| Gage County, NE | 21,629 | $67,360 | 4.2%/yr | 1.5% | 0.507 |
| Fillmore County, NE | 5,541 | $76,804 | 5.0%/yr | 1.0% | 0.483 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Jefferson County, Nebraska has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it about on par with Nebraska, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Jefferson County, Nebraska.
How Rich Is Jefferson County, Nebraska?
Jefferson County has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $59,034, about 23% lower than the Nebraska average of $76,615.
Are incomes growing in Jefferson County, Nebraska?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Jefferson County, Nebraska rose 52%, from $38,805 to $59,034. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Nebraska as a whole: +52% against +60%.
What was the median household income in Jefferson County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Jefferson County, Nebraska was $61,140, up 14% from $53,784 in 2022. The Nebraska median that year was $74,986.
What was the median household income in Jefferson County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Jefferson County, Nebraska was $48,382. By 2024 it had risen 22% to $59,034.
How strong is the job market in Jefferson County, Nebraska?
Unemployment in Jefferson County, Nebraska is only 1.2%, 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 Jefferson County, Nebraska?
The Gini coefficient in Jefferson County is 0.482. 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 Jefferson County, Nebraska?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Jefferson County, Nebraska has widened from about 18% to 22% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2012. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $7,237 since 2009.
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