The median household income for Missouri in 2008 was $46,847 according to the U.S. Census Bureau Small Area Estimates Branch. The median household income figure is the amount which divides the income distribution into two equal groups. The U.S. Census Bureau classifies income in three different categories. The first, money wage or salary, includes the total income people receive for work performed as an employee during the income year, such as, wages, salary, commissions, tips, piece-rate payments, and cash bonuses earned, before any deductions are made. The second category, net income from nonfarm self-employment, includes the net money income (gross receipts minus expenses) from one's own business, professional enterprise, or partnership. The final category, net income from farm self-employment, includes the net money income (gross receipts minus operating expenses) from the operation of a farm by a person on their own account, as an owner, renter, or sharecropper.
As one might expect, counties with the highest median household income are those with strong urban areas with a large share of professionals in the workforce, while the more rural counties with fewer professional jobs reported the lowest median income. For example, the top seven and nine of the top ten counties are in the St. Louis or Kansas City area. The table below presents the ten Missouri counties with the highest and lowest median incomes.
2008 Median Household Income |
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| Highest Household Income by County | Lowest Household Income by County | ||
| St. Charles County | $72,428 | Hickory County | $28,988 |
| Platte County | $67,134 | Dunklin County | $28,650 |
| Cass County | $61,922 | Wright County | $28,561 |
| Clay County | $58,803 | Shannon County | $28,559 |
| Jefferson County | $57,897 | Ripley County | $27,737 |
| St. Louis County | $57,782 | Mississippi County | $27,706 |
| Cole County | $55,684 | Wayne County | $27,249 |
| Lincoln County | $54,740 | Pemiscot County | $27,188 |
| Andrew County | $54,491 | Carter County | $26,956 |
| Christian County | $53,268 | Oregon County | $26,584 |
