United States › Kentucky › Breathitt County COUNTY
Breathitt County Kentucky · 12,558 residents (2025 est.) · 492 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
Breathitt County is a county of 13,276 people in Kentucky. 33.1% of people here live below the federal poverty line. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $70,300. Households here earn about 45% less than in Kentucky as a whole. The foreign-born share is 0%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% 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 16,100 in 2000
12,558 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 32 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
13K 14K 15K 15K 16K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Breathitt County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $34,808
Unchangedinflation adjusted, since 2000
from $19,155 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $11,044 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 33.2% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.548 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.9%
Public administration 1.8%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Education & health services 0.6%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$70,300
+21%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$548
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $297 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.5% in 2000
23.4% rent
from 17.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.60 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 35.8% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.1 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 98.1%(15,797)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(106)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 96%(12,741)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(149)
from 6 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 33 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
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 10.0% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 57.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 23.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 77.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 15.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 41.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 50.4% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 22.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 5.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 29.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 77.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.2% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 31.6%(1,691)
Women 15+
Never married 23.4%(1,322)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 48.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.0% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 42.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 64.6% 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) 25.9%(105)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.5%(59)
Share of the 406 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 Breathitt County Head to head
Compare Breathitt County to nearby counties BREATHITT COUNTY VS
Wolfe County
Income $30,417 −13%
Home value $75,800 +8%
Population 6,298 −50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BREATHITT COUNTY VS
Magoffin County
Income $33,080 −5%
Home value $89,000 +27%
Population 11,110 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BREATHITT COUNTY VS
Perry County
Income $42,181 +21%
Home value $91,800 +31%
Population 26,555 +111%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
BREATHITT COUNTY VS
Owsley County
Income $22,188 −36%
Home value $80,100 +14%
Population 3,932 −69%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Breathitt County, Kentucky? Breathitt County, Kentucky has about 13,276 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Breathitt County, Kentucky? The typical household in Breathitt County, Kentucky earns about $34,808 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Breathitt County, Kentucky expensive? In Breathitt County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $70,300, and the typical rent is about $548 a month.
How educated are people in Breathitt County, Kentucky? About 15.3% of adults age 25 and over in Breathitt County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Breathitt County, Kentucky? About 33.1% of people in Breathitt County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Breathitt County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Breathitt County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 2,427 residents, a change of about -15 percent over that period.
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