United States › Kentucky › Estill County COUNTY
Estill County Kentucky · 13,962 residents (2025 est.) · 253 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 14,035 people, Estill County is a county in Kentucky. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $119,500. At a median age of 44.4, this is an older place than the country as a whole. 2% of locals were born outside the United States. Households here earn about 28% less than in Kentucky as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 44.4
US median: 38.9
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 15,307 in 2000
13,962 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 59 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 14K 15K 15K 15K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Estill County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $46,051
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $23,318 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,285 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 26.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.485 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.7%
Transportation & warehousing 1.4%
Public administration 1.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.6%
Education & health services 0.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
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$119,500
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$711
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $332 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.0% in 2000
29.6% rent
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.57 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 42.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 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 98.7%(15,102)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(81)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 96%(13,472)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(132)
from 5 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
+ 3 more ancestry groups with data from 6.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 58.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 28.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 76.3% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 13.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 46.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 55.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.3% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.9% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 25.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 58.5% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 88.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 30.6%(1,748)
Women 15+
Never married 21.2%(1,260)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 38.7% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 41.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 47.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 58.3% 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) 22%(130)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.9%(141)
Share of the 591 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 Estill County Head to head
Compare Estill County to nearby counties ESTILL COUNTY VS
Powell County
Income $40,309 −12%
Home value $141,100 +18%
Population 12,812 −8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESTILL COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income $37,568 −18%
Home value $83,900 −30%
Population 7,297 −48%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESTILL COUNTY VS
Madison County
Income $63,351 +38%
Home value $232,000 +94%
Population 101,696 +628%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ESTILL COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income $40,000 −13%
Home value $111,500 −7%
Population 13,325 −5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Estill County, Kentucky? Estill County, Kentucky has about 14,035 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Estill County, Kentucky? The typical household in Estill County, Kentucky earns about $46,051 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Estill County, Kentucky expensive? In Estill County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $119,500, and the typical rent is about $711 a month.
How educated are people in Estill County, Kentucky? About 12.2% of adults age 25 and over in Estill County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Estill County, Kentucky? About 20.7% of people in Estill County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Estill County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Estill County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 579 residents, a change of about -4 percent over that period.
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