Fayette County, Tennessee Income Statistics
Fayette 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.
-
C
Fayette County Below averageWealthier than 91% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fayette County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $87,617 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $59,994 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.9% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 12.7% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 10.8% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fayette County is about 25% higher than in Tennessee. Income has been growing faster in Fayette County (5.9%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 13% of adults in Fayette County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Tennessee average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Fayette County, Tennessee grew by 60.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $87,617 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.9% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fayette County
| Metric | Fayette County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.542 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $70,822 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $54,168 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 23.5% | 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 Fayette County, it is 0.542, 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 31% more than women's income in Fayette County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 31% wage gap accumulates to roughly $582,890 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 28% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2010, and was narrowest at 19% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,553 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Fayette County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 12.0% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 33 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 1,034 people are unemployed in Fayette County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Fayette County is 33 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fayette County, Tennessee has fallen from 11.0% to 4.7% in 2024.
Fayette County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fayette County, TN is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 43,762 residents against a local median of 25,433. The measure that sets Fayette County, TN apart most is median household income: $87,617, 85% above the local median of $47,481. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 5.9%/yr against a local median of 3.7%/yr, 58% above it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, so Fayette County, TN is not trading one advantage for another, it reads stronger than its neighbours across the board. The counties themselves spread $27,551 on median household income, so Fayette County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fayette County, TN has the highest median household income 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayette County, TN | 43,762 | $87,617 #1/6 | 5.9%/yr #1/6 | 4.7% #3/6 | 0.542 #3/6 |
| Haywood County, TN | 17,475 | $47,481 | 4.1%/yr | 5.9% | 0.534 |
| Hardeman County, TN | 25,433 | $46,091 | 4.1%/yr | 9.8% | 0.581 |
| Benton County, MS | 7,589 | $46,468 | 3.1%/yr | 3.1% | 0.509 |
| Marshall County, MS | 33,979 | $53,460 | 3.6%/yr | 4.4% | 0.569 |
| Tipton County, TN | 61,301 | $73,641 | 3.7%/yr | 5.5% | 0.545 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fayette County, Tennessee has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Tennessee, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Fayette County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Fayette County, Tennessee?
Fayette 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 $87,617, about 25% higher than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
How has median household income changed in Fayette County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fayette County, Tennessee rose 60%, from $54,652 to $87,617. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Tennessee as a whole: +60% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fayette County, Tennessee was $83,653, up 3% from $81,070 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Fayette County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fayette County, Tennessee was $62,875. By 2024 it had risen 39% to $87,617.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fayette County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Fayette County is 0.542. 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 Fayette County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fayette County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 28% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 32% in 2010, and was narrowest at 19% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,553 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 →