State Overview -- Change in Missouri Median Household and Family Income 1989-1999
Recently released 2000 Census profiles for governmental units report the median household income and median family income for the income years1989 and 1999. These data are gathered from respondents' completion of the Census long form (STF3), and are currently available for Missouri, counties and places.
What is Median Household and Median Family Income?
Median household income is the income level ($37,934 in 1999) at which half of Missouri households have an income above that level and half have an income below that level. A household is a place (structure) where one or more persons reside on a regular basis. A person living alone would be classified as a "householder" and occupying a one-person household. According to the 2000 Census there were 2,194,594 households in Missouri. Persons living in a college dormitory, a military barracks, a state hospital, a nursing home, etc. would be counted as occupying "group quarters" and not as a householder or a resident of a household. However, if a college student lives in an apartment off-campus, either alone or with others, that residence would be defined as a household. The same would be true of military personnel.
The Census also reports Median Family Income. A family household is a place occupied by two or more persons related by birth, marriage, or legal adoption. According to the 2000 Census, of the 2,194,594 Missouri households, 1,476,516 were family households. Missouri 1999 median family income was $46,044.
Income reported in constant 1999 dollars
In the 2000 Census both 1989 and 1999 income are reported in constant dollars. The 1989 income was adjusted for increases in Consumer Price Index between 1989 and 1999. That means that 1989 dollars were increased (inflated) to the same level as 1999 enabling a direct comparison between the two. If median household income in 1999 was greater than in 1989 it was because there was real growth in income not just inflation. For example, in the 2000 Census 1989 Missouri median household income was reported as $34,393 and 1999 median household income was reported as $37,934. Because of the adjustment it is valid to say that there was a 10.3 percent increase in real Missouri household income during the 1990s. Median family income increased from $41,537 in 1989 to $46,044 in 1999 - an increase of 10.9 percent.
Median family income is usually higher than median household income. There are several reasons. All family households include at least two persons. In many of those households the family depends on the earnings of two or more of the family members. In most cases the earnings are combined and counted as family income. In contrast many non-family households are occupied by a single person, or, if occupied by two or more unrelated persons both employed, their income would most often be reported separately, not as a combined household income. There can be exceptions.
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| Map 1 click map for larger version 
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Variations in median household and family income.
Map 1 shows median household income in 1999 by county. The map shows that there were 49 counties in which median household income was less than $30,000 in 1999 and 13 counties in which median household income was more than $40,000. Generally the higher income counties are among the state's metropolitan counties. Map 2 shows the distribution of median family income in 1999 by county. There were 38 counties in which median family income was less than $35,000 in 1999 and 20 counties in which median family income was in excess of $45,000.
In the following section median household and family income is presented and analyzed for counties and for University of Missouri Extension Regions, Missouri Department of Transportation Districts and Missouri Department of Economic Development Regions.
This file last modified Thursday May 07, 2009, 16:03:44
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