United States › Kentucky › Barlow CITY
Barlow Kentucky · 635 residents (2025 est.) · 0.55 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 564 people, Barlow is a city in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 6% of adults. The poverty rate is 36.9%, above the 12.5% national rate. Households here earn about 58% less than in Kentucky as a whole. This skews young, with a median age of 32.3. The typical home is worth $68,100, having more than doubled since 2000.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 32.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
6% 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 715 in 2000
635 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1,024 / sq mi
−14%since 2009
from 1,189 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
404 513 623 732 842 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Barlow Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $27,054
−36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,333 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,564 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.536 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 16.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 4.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1%
Education & health services 1%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$68,100
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $36,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$538
−17%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $354 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 69.5% in 2000
52.4% rent
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.06 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 25.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.7 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 91.9%(657)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.1%(531)
from 32 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 71.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 1.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 74.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 12.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 46.3% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 70.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 14.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 23.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.8% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.5% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 30.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.4% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 66.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 50.4% 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) 16.7%(3)
Share of the 18 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.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper
Places similar to Barlow Head to head
Compare Barlow to nearby cities BARLOW VS
Paducah
Income $49,915 +85%
Home value $165,300 +143%
Population 26,730 +4109%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARLOW VS
Mayfield
Income $40,965 +51%
Home value $112,500 +65%
Population 9,851 +1451%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARLOW VS
Sikeston
Income $58,915 +118%
Home value $168,800 +148%
Population 15,983 +2417%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARLOW VS
Cape Girardeau
Income $55,658 +106%
Home value $196,300 +188%
Population 40,977 +6353%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Barlow, Kentucky? Barlow, Kentucky has about 564 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Barlow, Kentucky? The typical household in Barlow, Kentucky earns about $27,054 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Barlow, Kentucky expensive? In Barlow, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $68,100, and the typical rent is about $538 a month.
How educated are people in Barlow, Kentucky? About 5.6% of adults age 25 and over in Barlow, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Barlow, Kentucky? About 36.9% of people in Barlow, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Barlow, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Barlow, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 155 residents, a change of about -22 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 