United States › Kentucky › Barren County COUNTY
Barren County Kentucky · 45,641 residents (2025 est.) · 487 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Barren County is a county of 44,938 people in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. The typical home is worth $178,000, having more than doubled since 2000. 3% of locals were born outside the United States. Renters pay $796 a month at the median. Households take in $50,628 at the median, 38% less than the US figure.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 33%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 38,033 in 2000
45,641 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 84 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
33K 36K 39K 43K 46K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Barren County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $50,628
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,240 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $16,816 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 15.6% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.455 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.8%
Public administration 3.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 2.2%
Education & health services 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$178,000
+33%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $73,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$796
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $383 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.3% in 2000
34.8% rent
from 9.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.46 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.45 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.7% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 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 93.8%(35,662)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(355)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 87.4%(39,283)
Hispanic / Latino 4.4%(1,991)
from 16 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 34 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 23 more ancestry groups with data from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 69.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 60.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.4% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 73.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 86.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 20.1%(3,768)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 45.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 31.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.7% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 56.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 48.2% 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) 20.2%(412)
Gulf War (1990s) 20.1%(411)
Share of the 2,044 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 Barren County Head to head
Compare Barren County to nearby counties BARREN COUNTY VS
Metcalfe County
Income $51,473 +2%
Home value $110,200 −38%
Population 10,583 −77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARREN COUNTY VS
Allen County
Income $61,403 +21%
Home value $192,300 +8%
Population 22,536 −51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARREN COUNTY VS
Monroe County
Income $51,280 +1%
Home value $115,900 −35%
Population 11,191 −75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARREN COUNTY VS
Hart County
Income $52,285 +3%
Home value $146,000 −18%
Population 20,117 −56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Barren County, Kentucky? Barren County, Kentucky has about 44,938 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Barren County, Kentucky? The typical household in Barren County, Kentucky earns about $50,628 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Barren County, Kentucky expensive? In Barren County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $178,000, and the typical rent is about $796 a month.
How educated are people in Barren County, Kentucky? About 18.3% of adults age 25 and over in Barren County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Barren County, Kentucky? About 19.4% of people in Barren County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Barren County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Barren County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 10,937 residents, a change of about 32 percent over that period.
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