Median Household Income

Median Income measures all the wages and cash benefits that members of a household earn before paying taxes. In 2016, the median household income in the St. Louis region was $59,300 per year (for the four counties studied).

Median Income Indicator Scores

City of
St. Louis

42

St. Louis
County

56

St. Charles
County

80

St. Clair
County

43

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

Data Note: PUMS data may differ slightly from estimates on American Factfinder due to differences in sampling. See PUMS technical documentation for more information. Median is a statistical measure to find the midpoint of a large set of data. In this case, half of the households of each race in St. Louis earn more than the median, and half earn less. Estimates for Hispanic residents are based on a small number of sample cases and should be interpreted with extreme caution. The number of sample cases is too small to report reliable estimates for additional racial groups.

What does this score mean?

A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in the outcomes between black and white populations. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

For Median Household Income, a score of 100 – a score reflecting racial equity – would mean black households and white households have the same median income. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.

WHAT DOES THIS ANALYSIS MEAN?

The median household income for white households in the St. Louis region is over 50% more than that of black households. In the City of St. Louis and St. Clair County, white households have a median income nearly twice that of black households ($55,000 relative to $28,000 in the City of St. Louis; $58,000 relative to $30,000 in St. Clair County). White median income was 60% higher in St. Louis County ($71,700 relative to $44,800), and in St. Charles County, white median income was about 11% higher ($83,300 relative to $75,000).

If median income were equitable, black households’ median income would increase by:

  • $27,000 per year in the City of St. Louis,
  • $8,300 per year in St. Charles County,
  • $28,000 per year in St. Clair County, and
  • $26,900 per year in St. Louis County.

Why Does Median Household Income Matter?

Median Household Income is an important measure of economic health that helps account for extreme changes at either end of the income spectrum, such as the increasing concentration of poverty and wealth. (See the next two indicators, Adult Poverty and High-Wage Occupations, for greater insight.) People with lower median household incomes compared to other households in their region have greater difficulty finding affordable housing and affordable childcare. The Ferguson Commission report shared an estimate from the University of Missouri-St. Louis Public Policy Research Center’s Equity Assessment that “eliminating racial income gaps would boost the St. Louis economy by $14 billion.”

Which Calls to Action from the Ferguson Commission’s report are linked with this indicator?

The Ferguson Commission’s calls to action related to income include:

Questions for Further Investigation:

  • Why is there a racial disparity in Median Income?
  • What can St. Louis do to reduce racial disparities in Median Income?
  • What initiatives are currently underway to reduce racial disparities in Median Income?

Median Household Income Data

 AllWhiteBlackDisparity RatioEquity Score
Median Household Income
$42,000$55,000$28,0001.964 to 142

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

 AllBlackWhiteDisparity RatioEquity Score
Median Household Income
$63,000$44,800$71,7001.600 to 156

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

 AllBlackWhiteDisparity RatioEquity Score
Median Household Income
$83,000$75,000$83,3001.111 to 180

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016

 AllBlackWhiteDisparity RatioEquity Score
Median Household Income
$49,200$30,000$58,0001.933 to 143

Data Source: American Community Survey 1-year PUMS, 2016