Monroe County Income Charts

This section shows the Monroe County Indiana economy using the most recent economic analysis from the 2022 Census Bureau. Starting with Figure 1 which shows the median earnings per worker, Monroe County shows it has a Median earnings of $48,701 which is the third most median earnings of all other counties in the greater Monroe County region. The county with the highest median earnings per worker in the area is Brown County which shows a median earnings of $54,559 (12.0% larger). Comparing median earnings per worker to the United States average of $53,269, Monroe County is about 9.4% smaller. Also, measured against the state of Indiana, median earnings per worker of $48,985, Monroe County is about the same size.

In Figure 2 a more complete view of income is shown which aggregates income from all members in the household and it has a Median household income of $54,096 which is the second smallest in terms of median household income of all the other counties in the surrounding region. The county with the highest median household income in the area is Morgan County which depicts a median income of $71,882 (32.9% larger). Comparing median household income to the United States average of $69,021, Monroe County is approximately three-fourths the size. Also, benchmarked against the state of Indiana, median household income of $61,944, Monroe County is about 14.5% smaller.

The next section examines a variety of different income statistics for the Monroe County metropolitan area. In Figure 3 we see that it has the smallest proportion of earnings between $15,000 and $19,999 at 26.1% of the total. Second, it has the smallest proportion of earnings between $20,000 and $49,999 at 16.3% of the total. Third, it has the smallest proportion of earnings between $50,000 and $74,999 at 5.9% of the total. Dividing median annual worker earnings by the average number of hours worked in a year in Figure 4 shows that it has a Avg Hrly Earnings of $27.15 which is the most of all counties in the greater Monroe County region. Comparing average hourly earnings to the United States average of $26.40, Monroe County is only about 2.8% larger. Also, compared with the state of Indiana, average hourly earnings of $24.28, Monroe County is 11.8% larger.

Figure 5 examines the number of self employed people in the Monroe County metro area based on the number of people who reported any self employment income. Monroe County depicts it has a Self Employed of 11.1% which is the third most people self employed of all other counties in the greater Monroe County region. The county with the highest percentage of people self employed in the area is Brown County which depicts a percentage self employed of 15.9% (43.5% larger).

Figure 6 breaks down the source of income and Monroe County has the smallest proportion of investment and retirement income at 7.7% of the total. Second, it has the smallest proportion of social security at 0.5% of the total.

The next chart (Figure 7) shows the percentage of households that had retirement income over the last 12 months and it has a With Retirement Income of 20.7% which is the smallest when ranked by households with retirement income of all the other counties in the greater region. The county with the highest households with retirement income in the area is Greene County which depicts a households with retirement income of 30.1% (45.1% larger).

The percentage of full-time workers are compared to the number of part-time workers in Figure 8. Monroe County shows full time employees 73.4% larger as the part time employees.

Similar to the last chart is Figure 9 which shows the number of people who are self employed but in more detailed industry categories such as manufacturing, retail sales, residential real estate, commercial real estate, health care, exports/imports, and advanced industries, etc. Monroe County depicts it has the hightest entrepreneurs of 18% for the self employed in professional, scientific, management, administrative services group.

Figure 10 shows the cost of living and other consumer spending categories for a variety of cost components from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Monroe County depicts it has the hightest cost of 100.5 for the cost of transportation grouping.

Monroe County Poverty Charts

In Figure 11 the percentage of people earning less than the poverty level is shown and compared across the group of places. Monroe County depicts it has a Percent of Population In Poverty of 21.8% which is the largest of all counties in the greater Monroe County region. Additionally, Figure 12 looks at the percentage of people who receive some form of public assistance including general assistance, temporary assistance or food stamps (i.e. SNAP.) Monroe County shows it has a Public Assistance Percent of 7.1% which is the second smallest in terms of households with public assistance of all the other counties in the local area. The county with the highest households with public assistance in the area is Greene County which shows a households with public assistance of 11.2% (57.1% larger).

Monroe County Labor Force Charts

The table in Figure 13, shows Monroe County employment data in terms of job categories and salary data.

The next two charts look at monthly trended employment related performance using data estimated by economists at the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The BLS tracks unemployment statistics for a large number of areas throughout the country on a month to month basis. However, not every location in the U.S. is tracked by the BLS so the chart will only show the closest location available (which may be the same location.) Figure 14 shows the monthly unemployment rate for the area as well as a comparison to the overall national economy measure for the United States. Note that in March to April 2022, the Covid 19 recession occurred and affects this metric. The monthly unemployment rate depicts that from February 2017 to before the Coronavirus Pandemic it went from 4.2% to 2.6% in December 2019. This represents a decrease in the monthly unemployment rate of 38.1%. Since that time, the monthly unemployment rate has gone to 2.6%. This represents an increase in the monthly unemployment rate of very little.

Monroe County Jobs Charts

In the jobs section of economic activity charts in Figure 15 shows the average annual earnings for very high level job industry categories for full time and year round employed.

Figure 16 shows the average median earnings for different categories of jobs.

Monroe County Work Commute Charts

The following set of charts detail a variety of metrics that have economic impact, economic grow factors and economic development metrics in the Monroe County community and has an impact on other factors such as economic growth, population growth, economic recovery, job growth, etc.. Figure 17 shows a high level view of how the population commutes to work (including the percent of people who work from home.) Monroe County has the largest proportion of people who drive a car or motorcycle to work at 2% of the total and is ranked #1. Second, it has the largest proportion of people who take public transportation to work at 8% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of people who bicycle or walk to work at 11% of the total and is ranked #1. Figure 18 shows a more detailed view of how the population commutes to work for (for example to downtown Monroe County or elsewhere.) Monroe County has the smallest proportion of people who drove alone at 69% of the total. Second, it has the largest proportion of people who take the bus at 2% of the total and is ranked #1. Third, it has the largest proportion of people who take the Long-distance train or commuter rail at 0% of the total and is ranked #1. Also, it has the largest proportion of people who bike at 1% of the total and is ranked #1. In addition, it has the largest proportion of people who walked at 6% of the total and is ranked #1. Furthermore, it has the largest proportion of people who work from home at 11% of the total and is ranked #1.

Figure 19 is provided for comparison purposes to the previous chart. It shows how people get to work overall on average in the United States.

The average commute time is shown in Figure 21. Monroe County shows it has a Avg Commute Time of 20 which is the smallest in order of average commute time of all the other counties in the local area.