United States › Kentucky › Harlan County COUNTY
Harlan County Kentucky · 24,725 residents (2025 est.) · 466 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
With 25,772 people, Harlan County is a county in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. The typical home is worth $73,700, having more than doubled since 2000. 27.4% of locals live below the federal poverty line. The foreign-born share is 0%. Households here earn about 35% less than in Kentucky as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 40.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% 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 33,202 in 2000
24,725 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 67 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 37.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K 28K 31K 34K 38K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Harlan County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $41,693
+23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $18,665 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $11,585 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 32.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.476 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Public administration 2.7%
Education & health services 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
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$73,700
+8%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$678
+22%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $306 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.5% in 2000
28.4% rent
from 20.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.47 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 15.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 29.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 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 95.1%(31,566)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(216)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.9%(24,205)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(135)
from 13 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 20 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
+ 13 more ancestry groups with data from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 58.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.2% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 39.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 46.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 30.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 20.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 57.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 80.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 89.9% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.8% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 24.1%(2,395)
Women 15+
Never married 18.1%(1,958)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.0% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 32.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 26.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 45.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 40.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 66.3% 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) 32.3%(360)
Gulf War (1990s) 26.5%(295)
Share of the 1,115 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 Harlan County Head to head
Compare Harlan County to nearby counties HARLAN COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income $41,827 same
Home value $98,900 +34%
Population 21,642 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARLAN COUNTY VS
Leslie County
Income $35,934 −14%
Home value $69,000 −6%
Population 9,627 −61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARLAN COUNTY VS
Hancock County
Income $34,960 −16%
Home value $134,500 +82%
Population 7,075 −71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARLAN COUNTY VS
Perry County
Income $42,181 +1%
Home value $91,800 +25%
Population 26,555 +7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Harlan County, Kentucky? Harlan County, Kentucky has about 25,772 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Harlan County, Kentucky? The typical household in Harlan County, Kentucky earns about $41,693 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Harlan County, Kentucky expensive? In Harlan County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $73,700, and the typical rent is about $678 a month.
How educated are people in Harlan County, Kentucky? About 13.0% of adults age 25 and over in Harlan County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Harlan County, Kentucky? About 27.4% of people in Harlan County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Harlan County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Harlan County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 10,802 residents, a change of about -30 percent over that period.
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