Monroe County, Tennessee Income Statistics
Monroe 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
Monroe County Well below averageLess wealthy than 70% of counties in Tennessee
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Monroe County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $56,619 | $69,901 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $45,352 | $53,263 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.5% | 5.2% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 10.4% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.5% | 9.0% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Monroe County is about 19% lower than in Tennessee. Income has been growing faster in Monroe County (5.5%/yr) than in Tennessee (5.2%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Monroe 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 Monroe County, Tennessee grew by 56.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $56,619 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Monroe County
| Metric | Monroe County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.530 | 0.542 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $51,860 | $61,993 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $44,973 | $50,108 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.3% | 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 Monroe County, it is 0.530, 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 15% more than women's income in Monroe County, Tennessee. Over a 35-year career, a 15% wage gap accumulates to roughly $241,045 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Monroe County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 22% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,083 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Monroe County | Tennessee Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3% | 4.6% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.3% | 12.9% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 22 | 22 |
Approximately 863 people are unemployed in Monroe County, Tennessee.
The average commute time in Monroe County is 25 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Tennessee.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Monroe County, Tennessee has fallen from 12.1% to 4.3% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 14.8% in 2013.
Monroe County, TN Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Monroe County, TN is typical in size for this group, 47,695 residents against a local median of 54,884, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. Nothing separates Monroe County, TN sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 9% below the local median at $56,619 against $62,323. Monroe County, TN has the 5th 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, TN | 47,695 | $56,619 #5/6 | 5.5%/yr #5/6 | 4.3% #4/6 | 0.530 #4/6 |
| Loudon County, TN | 58,580 | $84,040 | 5.9%/yr | 2.8% | 0.522 |
| Cherokee County, NC | 29,563 | $54,386 | 5.6%/yr | 4.1% | 0.497 |
| McMinn County, TN | 54,884 | $60,991 | 5.9%/yr | 4.8% | 0.542 |
| Blount County, TN | 139,333 | $78,165 | 5.9%/yr | 3.5% | 0.519 |
| Polk County, TN | 17,897 | $62,323 | 5.1%/yr | 5.3% | 0.556 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Monroe 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 Monroe County, Tennessee.
How Rich Is Monroe County, Tennessee?
Monroe 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 $56,619, about 19% lower than the Tennessee average of $69,901.
How fast is household income rising in Monroe County, Tennessee?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Monroe County, Tennessee rose 56%, from $36,183 to $56,619. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Tennessee as a whole: +56% against +63%.
What was the median household income in Monroe County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Monroe County, Tennessee was $56,217, up 7% from $52,378 in 2022. The Tennessee median that year was $67,483.
What was the median household income in Monroe County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Monroe County, Tennessee was $45,613. By 2024 it had risen 24% to $56,619.
What is the Gini coefficient in Monroe County, Tennessee?
The Gini coefficient in Monroe County is 0.530. 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 Monroe County, Tennessee?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Monroe County, Tennessee has narrowed from about 22% to 13% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 30% in 2020. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $1,083 since 2009.
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