United States › Kentucky › McDowell CITY
McDowell Kentucky · 718 residents · 2.48 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
McDowell is a city of 718 people in Kentucky. The poverty rate is 72.4%, above the 12.5% national rate. Households here earn about 77% less than in Kentucky as a whole. This skews young, with a median age of 29.0. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 17% of adults. The median household earns $14,474, about 82% below the national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 29.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
17% 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 290 / sq mi
+31%since 2023
from 222 / sq mi in 2023
US average: 281
from 55.2 in 2023
US average: 38.9
Population, 2014 – 2024
472 603 734 865 996 2014 2020 2024 McDowell Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $14,474
−60%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $35,576 in 2023
US average: $82,259
from $16,490 in 2023
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.4% in 2023
US average: 53.3%
from 41.0% in 2023
US average: 12.5%
from 0.441 in 2023
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0%
Transportation & warehousing 0%
Professional, scientific, technical 0%
Education & health services 0%
Arts, entertainment, food 0%
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$73,100
−4%inflation adjusted, since 2023
from $73,600 in 2023
US average: $376,019
from 82.5% in 2023
39.6% rent
from 20.1% in 2023
US average: 10.0%
2.24 people
+13%since 2023
from 1.99 people in 2023
US average: 2.54
from 6.2% in 2023
US average: 22.9%
from 33.3% in 2023
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 in 2023
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 2023
White, non-Hispanic 99.6%(547)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.9%(674)
from 1 in 2023
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry from 26.2% in 2023
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 88.8% in 2023
US average: 89.6%
from 17.3% in 2023
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 71.6% in 2023
US average: 68.9%
from 18.2% in 2023
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 3.2%
from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 15.0%
from 10.2% in 2023
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 0.4%
from 11.6% in 2023
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 28.9% in 2023
US average: 5.2%
from 34.7% in 2023
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 74.6%
from 21.3% in 2023
US average: 13.1%
from 39.8% in 2023
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 14.1%
from 3.2% in 2023
US average: 6.2%
from 25.0% in 2023
US average: 13.3%
from 4.2% in 2023
US average: 8.4%
from 90.2% in 2023
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
US average: 95.5%
100.0%
Unchangedsince 2023
from 100.0% in 2023
US average: 77.7%
from 0.0% in 2023
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 4.2% in 2023
US average: 8.4%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
US average: 2.2%
Any private
US average: 67.1%
Any public
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) 0%(0)
Share of the 10 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
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Frequently asked
How many people live in McDowell, Kentucky? McDowell, Kentucky has about 718 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in McDowell, Kentucky? The typical household in McDowell, Kentucky earns about $14,474 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is McDowell, Kentucky expensive? In McDowell, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $73,100, and the typical rent is about $255 a month.
How educated are people in McDowell, Kentucky? About 17.5% of adults age 25 and over in McDowell, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in McDowell, Kentucky? About 72.4% of people in McDowell, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
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