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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Carter County

Kentucky · 26,889 residents · 409 sq mi
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The short version

Carter County is home to 26,889 people in Kentucky. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. Median home value sits at $47,100. The poverty rate is 22.3%, above the 12.4% national rate. The median household earns $26,427, about 38% below the national median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Mid-age
median age 35.8
US median: 35.2
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

26,889
+10%since 1990
from 24,340 in 1990
1990 – 2025
35.8
+9%since 1990
from 32.9 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
409 sq mi
Population, 19902024
24K25K26K27K28K19902000201020202024Carter County
202426K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56.4%(1,719)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 97.2%(1,927)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.7%(1,800)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 197.7%(2,058)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 247.3%(1,972)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3413.5%(3,632)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4414.9%(4,017)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5413.5%(3,632)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 6410.3%(2,758)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 747.1%(1,913)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844%(1,084)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.4%(377)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$26,427
+17%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $17,083 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$13,442
+68%since 1990
from $7,996 in 1990
US average: $21,522
22.3%
−4.5 ptssince 1990
from 26.8% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$47,100
−3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $36,900 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$365
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $272 in 1990
US average: $602
81.0%
+0.9 ptssince 1990
from 80.0% in 1990
19.0% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic99.9%(24,305)
Black0%(6)
Hispanic / Latino0.3%(82)
Asian0%(7)
2000
White, non-Hispanic98.5%(26,494)
Black0.1%(34)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(158)
Asian0.1%(29)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.7%(195)
Asian origin
Burmese0.2%(62)
Korean0%(8)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
English27.1%(7,134)
American13.1%(3,443)
German11.3%(2,986)
Irish9.6%(2,537)
Scottish2.4%(627)
Scotch-Irish2.2%(568)
French0.8%(208)
Welsh0.7%(180)
Italian0.6%(166)
Dutch0.6%(160)
Swedish0.6%(155)
Swiss0.3%(78)
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data
Norwegian0.3%(73)
Portuguese0.2%(63)
Polish0.2%(51)
Ukrainian0.2%(48)
Canadian0.1%(24)
British0.1%(23)
West Indian0.1%(17)
Danish0.1%(15)
Haitian0.1%(14)
Israeli0%(5)
Slovak0%(5)
Section 05

Education

8.9%
+1.3 ptssince 1990
from 7.6% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
64.4%
+13.1 ptssince 1990
from 51.3% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
4.2%
+0.5 ptssince 1990
from 3.6% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

22.0 min
−9%since 1990
from 24.1 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married23.6%(2,446)
Married65%(6,743)
Widowed2.3%(242)
Divorced9.1%(945)
Women 15+
Never married16.4%(1,814)
Married61.4%(6,774)
Widowed12.8%(1,413)
Divorced9.3%(1,027)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

7.1%
−9.8 ptssince 2013
from 16.9% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
49.3%
+6.4 ptssince 2020
from 42.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.9%
+1.5 ptssince 2020
from 10.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
24.5%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 22.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
29.5%
−4.7 ptssince 2020
from 34.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
4.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 3.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
59.2%
+8.1 ptssince 2020
from 51.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
50.4%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 51.8% 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)17.9%(269)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)17.7%(265)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era44.7%(670)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.2%(33)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,500 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Carter County, Kentucky?

Carter County, Kentucky has about 26,889 residents according to the 2000 Census.

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

The typical household in Carter County, Kentucky earns about $26,427 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Carter County, Kentucky expensive?

In Carter County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $47,100, and the typical rent is about $365 a month.

How educated are people in Carter County, Kentucky?

About 8.9% of adults age 25 and over in Carter County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Carter County, Kentucky?

About 22.3% of people in Carter County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Carter County, Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Carter County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,549 residents, a change of about 10 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →