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COUNTY · 2020 ACS

Barren County

Kentucky · 44,485 residents · 487.365 sq mi
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The short version

Barren County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $41,674. Population has grown 17% since 2000. 16% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 33%. Median home value has risen by half since 2000, reaching $127,100. The poverty rate of 25.2% is well above the national figure.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Mid-age
median age 40.7
US median: 38.8
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
44,485
+17%since 2000
from 38,033 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Median age
40.7
+7%since 2000
from 38.0 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
33K36K39K43K46K1990201020202024Barren County
202445K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2020
Under 56.3%(2,797)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(2,910)
US avg: 6.1%
10 to 147.2%(3,200)
US avg: 6.5%
15 to 196.2%(2,752)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.3%(2,367)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.3%(5,036)
US avg: 13.5%
35 to 4412.1%(5,401)
US avg: 12.7%
45 to 5412.5%(5,563)
US avg: 12.3%
55 to 6414.1%(6,293)
US avg: 13.1%
65 to 7410.7%(4,775)
US avg: 10%
75 to 845.6%(2,478)
US avg: 4.9%
85 and over2.1%(913)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$41,674
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,240 in 2000
US average: $66,278
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$22,502
+34%since 2000
from $16,816 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
21.3%
+2.4 ptssince 2009
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
Poverty rate
25.2%
+9.6 ptssince 2000
from 15.6% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Retail trade22.7%
US avg: 10%
Information12.1%
US avg: 11.1%
Wholesale trade6.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Finance & insurance4.1%
US avg: 5.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4%
US avg: 1.7%
Construction3.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing3.4%
US avg: 2.5%
Professional, scientific, technical3.2%
US avg: 4.7%
Other services2.7%
US avg: 6.6%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.7%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 2%
Education & health services0.9%
US avg: 0.8%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$127,100
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $73,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$681
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $383 in 2000
US average: $1,124
Owner-occupied
65.3%
−7.0 ptssince 2000
from 72.3% in 2000
34.7% rent
Afford Score
3.0
+19%since 2009
from 2.6 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Barren County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic93.8%(35,662)
Black4.1%(1,553)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(355)
Asian0.4%(155)
Other0%
2020
White, non-Hispanic87.2%(38,804)
Black3.8%(1,697)
Hispanic / Latino4.2%(1,889)
Asian0.6%(255)
Other2.8%(1,235)
Segregation Score
34
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.7%(752)
Guatemalan0.7%(311)
Cuban0.2%(90)
Puerto Rican0.2%(82)
Spaniard0.2%(78)
Dominican0.2%(72)
Honduran0.1%(62)
Peruvian0%(21)
Asian origin
Filipino0.1%(61)
Chinese0.1%(52)
Korean0.1%(36)
Japanese0%(12)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(2)
Ancestry
American20.6%(9,048)
English9.1%(4,014)
Irish6.7%(2,953)
German6.7%(2,929)
Scottish2.3%(1,029)
Scotch-Irish1.5%(673)
Italian0.9%(385)
French0.8%(333)
Polish0.6%(279)
Welsh0.5%(215)
British0.3%(148)
Danish0.3%(136)
+ 25 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.2%(95)
Syrian0.1%(65)
Russian0.1%(65)
Swiss0.1%(63)
Norwegian0.1%(59)
Canadian0.1%(58)
Brazilian0.1%(56)
Swedish0.1%(42)
Lebanese0.1%(38)
Greek0%(22)
Hungarian0%(21)
Czech0%(19)
Belgian0%(18)
Slovene0%(18)
Romanian0%(15)
Finnish0%(11)
Latvian0%(11)
Austrian0%(10)
Slovak0%(5)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Scottish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
16.2%
+5.1 ptssince 2000
from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
83.7%
+14.2 ptssince 2000
from 69.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
Graduate degree
5.6%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
21.7 min
+65%since 2000
from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
Drive alone to work
80.5%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 83.3% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
No vehicle available
5.6%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.7%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 7.3% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
Labor force participation
56.8%
−3.8 ptssince 2011
from 60.7% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Management & professional
29.2%
−31.3 ptssince 2009
from 60.5% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.1%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
51.9%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
1.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
Uninsured
8.7%
−76.5 ptssince 2013
from 85.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married28%(4,873)
Married55.8%(9,710)
Widowed4%(694)
Divorced12.2%(2,123)
Women 15+
Never married20.1%(3,768)
Married51.6%(9,696)
Widowed11%(2,062)
Divorced17.3%(3,253)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Barren County

Coffee County
Pop 44,407
Colquitt County
Pop 47,438
Gadsden County
Pop 44,298
Jackson County
Pop 49,629
Places similar to Barren County
Head to head

Compare Barren County to nearby counties

BARREN COUNTY VS
Metcalfe County
Income$51,473+24%
Home value$110,200−13%
Population10,583−77%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARREN COUNTY VS
Allen County
Income$61,403+47%
Home value$192,300+51%
Population22,536−51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARREN COUNTY VS
Monroe County
Income$51,280+23%
Home value$115,900−9%
Population11,191−75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BARREN COUNTY VS
Hart County
Income$52,285+25%
Home value$146,000+15%
Population20,117−56%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Barren County, Kentucky?

Barren County, Kentucky has about 44,485 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Barren County, Kentucky?

The typical household in Barren County, Kentucky earns about $41,674 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 $127,100, and the typical rent is about $681 a month.

How educated are people in Barren County, Kentucky?

About 16.2% 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 25.2% 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 10,484 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.

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13 census tracts
Census Tract 9503Census Tract 9505Census Tract 9508Census Tract 9509Census Tract 9501Census Tract 9504.02Census Tract 9507.02Census Tract 9502Census Tract 9510Census Tract 9506.02Census Tract 9506.01Census Tract 9504.01Census Tract 9507.01
6 ZIP codes
ZIP 42141ZIP 42127ZIP 42123ZIP 42156ZIP 42130ZIP 42131
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

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