United States › Kentucky › Ashland CITY
Ashland Kentucky · 20,996 residents (2025 est.) · 10.7 sq mi
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The short version
Ashland is a city of 21,295 people in Kentucky. The typical home is worth $125,000, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 2%. About 25% of adults have finished a four-year degree. 22.4% of people here live below the federal poverty line. There are 1,984 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 21,981 in 2000
20,996 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,984 / sq mi
Unchangedsince 2009
from 1,984 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 40.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K 21K 22K 23K 24K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ashland Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $52,715
−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $30,309 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,218 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.514 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.2%
Transportation & warehousing 2.1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Education & health services 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$125,000
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$872
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $399 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 64.3% in 2000
39.6% rent
from 12.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.17 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 14.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 45.2% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.5 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.5%(20,991)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(130)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.2%(19,418)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(566)
from 20 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 18.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 77.9% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 8.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 12.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 34.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 21.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 71.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 88.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 83.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 23.5%(2,237)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 15.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 47.5% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 4.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.4% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.7% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 25.5%(369)
Gulf War (1990s) 24.7%(358)
Share of the 1,448 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Ashland Head to head
Compare Ashland to nearby cities ASHLAND VS
Ironton
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ASHLAND VS
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ASHLAND VS
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Income $108,741 +106%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Ashland, Kentucky? Ashland, Kentucky has about 21,295 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ashland, Kentucky? The typical household in Ashland, Kentucky earns about $52,715 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ashland, Kentucky expensive? In Ashland, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $125,000, and the typical rent is about $872 a month.
How educated are people in Ashland, Kentucky? About 24.8% of adults age 25 and over in Ashland, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ashland, Kentucky? About 22.4% of people in Ashland, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ashland, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Ashland, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,327 residents, a change of about -10 percent over that period.
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