Payne County, Oklahoma Income Statistics
Payne 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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D
Payne County Well below averageLess wealthy than 91% of counties in Oklahoma
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Payne County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $49,857 | $65,606 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $48,449 | $51,752 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.5% | 3.9% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 7.0% | 9.2% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.9% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Payne County is about 24% lower than in Oklahoma. Income has been growing slower in Payne County (3.5%/yr) than in Oklahoma (3.9%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Payne County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Oklahoma average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Payne County, Oklahoma grew by 45.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $49,857 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Payne County
| Metric | Payne County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.607 | 0.553 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,987 | $60,162 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $45,731 | $46,815 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.3% | 22.2% | 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 Payne County, it is 0.607, higher than Oklahoma's 0.553, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 22% more than women's income in Payne County, Oklahoma. Over a 35-year career, a 22% wage gap accumulates to roughly $358,960 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Payne County, Oklahoma has narrowed from about 19% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,152 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Payne County | Oklahoma Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 5.7% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 8.8% | 9.4% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 13 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 2,342 people are unemployed in Payne County, Oklahoma.
The average commute time in Payne County is 13 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Oklahoma.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Payne County, Oklahoma has risen from 4.8% to 5.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 6.3% in 2015 and fell as low as 3.8% in 2020.
Payne County, OK Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Payne County, OK is the largest of the 6 counties compared here, 82,970 residents against a local median of 34,218. Where Payne County, OK breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 59% above the local median of 3.6% at 5.7%. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $49,857 against a local median of $62,984, 21% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Payne County, OK reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 1.8% on unemployment, so Payne County, OK sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Payne County, OK 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Payne County, OK | 82,970 | $49,857 #6/6 | 3.5%/yr #5/6 | 5.7% #6/6 | 0.607 #6/6 |
| Pawnee County, OK | 15,795 | $58,874 | 3.1%/yr | 4.4% | 0.551 |
| Lincoln County, OK | 34,218 | $62,551 | 3.7%/yr | 3.8% | 0.554 |
| Noble County, OK | 10,897 | $69,088 | 4.4%/yr | 2.6% | 0.518 |
| Logan County, OK | 51,938 | $82,723 | 4.9%/yr | 3.6% | 0.572 |
| Creek County, OK | 72,818 | $62,984 | 3.9%/yr | 3.2% | 0.545 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Payne County, Oklahoma has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Oklahoma, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Payne County, Oklahoma.
How Rich Is Payne County, Oklahoma?
Payne 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 $49,857, about 24% lower than the Oklahoma average of $65,606.
How fast is household income rising in Payne County, Oklahoma?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Payne County, Oklahoma rose 46%, from $34,174 to $49,857. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Oklahoma as a whole: +46% against +57%.
What was the median household income in Payne County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Payne County, Oklahoma was $48,870, up 4% from $47,105 in 2022. The Oklahoma median that year was $63,960.
What was the median household income in Payne County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Payne County, Oklahoma was $41,971. By 2024 it had risen 19% to $49,857.
What is the Gini coefficient in Payne County, Oklahoma?
The Gini coefficient in Payne County is 0.607. 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 Payne County, Oklahoma?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Payne County, Oklahoma has narrowed from about 19% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2017. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,152 since 2009.
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