Chester County, Tennessee Income Statistics
Chester 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
Chester County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Chester County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $59,120 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $47,939 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.0% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.3% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.3% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Chester County is about 15% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing slower in Chester County (4.0%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 5% of adults in Chester County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Tennessee average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Chester County, Tennessee grew by 52.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $59,120 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.0% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Chester County
| Metric | Chester County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.554 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $55,189 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $43,626 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 21.0% | 19.2% | 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 Chester County, it is 0.554, higher than Tennessee's 0.542, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 27% more than women's income in Chester County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 27% wage gap accumulates to roughly $404,705 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chester County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 32% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2019, and was narrowest at 12% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $517 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Chester County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 9.4% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 28 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 314 people are unemployed in Chester County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Chester County is 28 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Chester County, Tennessee has fallen from 12.6% to 4.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 15.3% in 2014.
Chester County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Chester County, TN is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 17,611 residents against a local median of 27,249. Chester County, TN's unemployment, at 4.1%, runs 32% below the 6.1% typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 5.1% on unemployment, so Chester County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Chester County, TN has the 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chester County, TN | 17,611 | $59,120 #2/6 | 4.0%/yr #3/6 | 4.1% #1/6 | 0.554 #4/6 |
| McNairy County, TN | 25,970 | $53,842 | 6.6%/yr | 5.8% | 0.538 |
| Madison County, TN | 99,295 | $60,051 | 3.9%/yr | 7.0% | 0.539 |
| Henderson County, TN | 27,980 | $54,509 | 3.4%/yr | 6.1% | 0.539 |
| Hardeman County, TN | 25,433 | $46,091 | 4.1%/yr | 9.8% | 0.581 |
| Hardin County, TN | 27,249 | $49,937 | 3.6%/yr | 4.7% | 0.557 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Chester County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Tennessee, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Chester County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Chester County, Tennessee?
Chester 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 $59,120, about 15% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
Are incomes growing in Chester County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Chester County, Tennessee rose 53%, from $38,684 to $59,120. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Tennessee as a whole: +53% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Chester County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Chester County, Tennessee was $60,348, up 5% from $57,574 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Chester County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Chester County, Tennessee was $52,206. By 2024 it had risen 13% to $59,120.
What is the Gini coefficient in Chester County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Chester County is 0.554. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Chester County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Chester County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 32% to 21% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 38% in 2019, and was narrowest at 12% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $517 since 2009.
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