Decatur County, Tennessee Income Statistics
Decatur 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
Decatur County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Decatur County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $45,279 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,665 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.4% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.3% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.2% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Decatur County is about 35% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing slower in Decatur County (2.4%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Decatur 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 Decatur County, Tennessee grew by 77.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $45,279 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.4% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Decatur County
| Metric | Decatur County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.545 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,161 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,086 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 16.8% | 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 Decatur County, it is 0.545, about the same as Tennessee's 0.542, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 20% more than women's income in Decatur County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 20% wage gap accumulates to roughly $282,625 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Decatur County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 21% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2015, and was narrowest at 9% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,951 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Decatur County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.2% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.5% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 350 people are unemployed in Decatur County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Decatur County is 21 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Decatur County, Tennessee has fallen from 14.3% to 7.2% in 2024.
Decatur County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Decatur County, TN is the 5th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 11,579 residents against a local median of 16,168. The measure that sets Decatur County, TN apart most is income growth: 2.4%/yr, 55% below the local median of 5.3%/yr. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 7.2% against a local median of 5.3%, 35% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Decatur County, TN reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 4.6%/yr on income growth, so Decatur County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Decatur County, TN 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Decatur County, TN | 11,579 | $45,279 #6/6 | 2.4%/yr #6/6 | 7.2% #6/6 | 0.545 #4/6 |
| Perry County, TN | 8,697 | $56,499 | 8.1%/yr | 5.8% | 0.534 |
| Henderson County, TN | 27,980 | $54,509 | 3.4%/yr | 6.1% | 0.539 |
| Hardin County, TN | 27,249 | $49,937 | 3.6%/yr | 4.7% | 0.557 |
| Benton County, TN | 16,006 | $51,848 | 5.7%/yr | 5.3% | 0.538 |
| Wayne County, TN | 16,168 | $51,543 | 5.3%/yr | 3.4% | 0.579 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Decatur County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Tennessee, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Decatur County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Decatur County, Tennessee?
Decatur 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 $45,279, about 35% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
Are incomes growing in Decatur County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Decatur County, Tennessee rose 78%, from $25,450 to $45,279. Over the same years, income here outpaced Tennessee as a whole: +78% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Decatur County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Decatur County, Tennessee was $45,806, down 6% from $48,627 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Decatur County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Decatur County, Tennessee was $40,381. By 2024 it had risen 12% to $45,279.
How strong is the job market in Decatur County, Tennessee?
Unemployment in Decatur County, Tennessee is 7.2%, well above the Tennessee rate of 4.6%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Decatur County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Decatur County is 0.545. 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 Decatur County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Decatur County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 21% to 17% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 24% in 2015, and was narrowest at 9% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,951 since 2009.
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