Fentress County, Tennessee Income Statistics
Fentress 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
Fentress County Well below averageLess wealthy than 84% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fentress County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $51,226 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $38,147 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.1% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.6% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.0% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fentress County is about 27% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing faster in Fentress County (6.1%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Fentress 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 Fentress County, Tennessee grew by 82.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $51,226 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.1% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fentress County
| Metric | Fentress County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.520 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $42,214 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,185 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 11.9% | 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 Fentress County, it is 0.520, lower than Tennessee's 0.542, 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 14% more than women's income in Fentress County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 14% wage gap accumulates to roughly $176,015 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fentress County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 25% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2015, and was narrowest at 4% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,311 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Fentress County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.4% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 345 people are unemployed in Fentress County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Fentress County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fentress County, Tennessee has fallen from 9.1% to 4.7% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.1% in 2012 and fell as low as 4.4% in 2023.
Fentress County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Fentress County, TN is typical in size for this group, 19,309 residents against a local median of 21,361, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Fentress County, TN's income growth, at 6.1%/yr, runs 25% above the 4.9%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.6%/yr on income growth, so Fentress County, TN sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Fentress County, TN has the 2nd 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fentress County, TN | 19,309 | $51,226 #2/6 | 6.1%/yr #2/6 | 4.7% #2/6 | 0.520 #3/6 |
| Pickett County, TN | 5,079 | $49,099 | 3.1%/yr | 6.8% | 0.511 |
| Overton County, TN | 23,065 | $48,710 | 4.4%/yr | 3.2% | 0.545 |
| Morgan County, TN | 21,361 | $65,837 | 6.7%/yr | 5.1% | 0.568 |
| Clinton County, KY | 9,202 | $44,875 | 5.3%/yr | 5.0% | 0.518 |
| Scott County, TN | 22,110 | $44,607 | 4.9%/yr | 7.5% | 0.546 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fentress 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 Fentress County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Fentress County, Tennessee?
Fentress 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 $51,226, about 27% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
Are incomes growing in Fentress County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fentress County, Tennessee rose 83%, from $28,044 to $51,226. Over the same years, income here outpaced Tennessee as a whole: +83% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Fentress County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fentress County, Tennessee was $51,091, up 8% from $47,132 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Fentress County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fentress County, Tennessee was $40,163. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $51,226.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fentress County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Fentress County is 0.520. 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 Fentress County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fentress County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 25% to 12% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 26% in 2015, and was narrowest at 4% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $3,311 since 2009.
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