COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Harlan County

Kentucky · 36,574 residents · 466 sq mi

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The short version

Harlan County is a county of 36,574 people in Kentucky. 33.1% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 6% of adults. The typical home is worth $29,500. Households here earn about 34% less than in Kentucky as a whole. Households take in $14,774 at the median, 51% less than the US figure.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 32.8

US median: 33.0

Less educated

6% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

Stable housing

home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

36,574

+10%vs 2000

vs 33,202 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

32.8

−13%vs 2000

vs 37.8 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

466 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202426K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57%(2,549)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 98%(2,922)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.5%(3,096)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198.5%(3,123)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.5%(2,378)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3415.4%(5,616)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.9%(5,447)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410%(3,671)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.3%(3,032)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 747.7%(2,829)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 843.9%(1,434)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1.3%(477)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$14,774

+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $18,665 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$7,502

−35%vs 2000

vs $11,585 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

33.1%

+0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 32.5% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$29,500

+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $37,600 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$225

−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $306 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

70.8%

−2.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 73.5% in 2000

29.2% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic95.1%(31,566)

Black2.6%(865)

Hispanic / Latino0.7%(216)

Asian0.3%(95)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic96.4%(35,241)

Black3.4%(1,231)

Hispanic / Latino0.1%(39)

Asian0.1%(26)

Other0.2%(76)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican0.3%(74)

Puerto Rican0.2%(40)

Cuban0%(7)

Central American0%(2)

Guatemalan0%(2)

Asian origin

Vietnamese0.1%(32)

Filipino0.1%(20)

Chinese0%(6)

Pacific Islander origin

Samoan0%(10)

Ancestry

English13.9%(3,595)

Irish9.4%(2,416)

American8.8%(2,261)

German4.4%(1,139)

Scottish2.6%(667)

Italian1.7%(441)

Welsh1.2%(317)

French1%(255)

Scotch-Irish0.7%(191)

Dutch0.6%(150)

Brazilian0.4%(97)

Romanian0.3%(76)

+ 13 more ancestry groups with data

Swedish0.3%(66)

Polish0.2%(51)

Hungarian0.1%(23)

Ukrainian0.1%(18)

West Indian0.1%(14)

Trinidadian & Tobagonian0.1%(14)

French Canadian0%(11)

Macedonian0%(11)

Subsaharan African0%(11)

British0%(10)

Czech0%(8)

Norwegian0%(4)

Portuguese0%(2)

RANKED:Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest Scottish population

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

6.4%

−2.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 8.9% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

49.5%

−9.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 58.7% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.1%

−1.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.5% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.0 min

+4%vs 2000

vs 19.2 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

Men 15+

Never married24.1%(2,395)

Married58.4%(5,819)

Widowed3.6%(355)

Divorced13.9%(1,388)

Women 15+

Never married18.1%(1,958)

Married56.4%(6,085)

Widowed12.7%(1,374)

Divorced12.7%(1,372)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

4.9%

−15.1 ptssince 2013

from 20.0% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

33.2%

+0.9 ptssince 2020

from 32.3% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

9.9%

+1.2 ptssince 2020

from 8.7% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

26.7%

+0.3 ptssince 2020

from 26.4% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

46.4%

+0.7 ptssince 2020

from 45.7% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.9%

+0.1 ptssince 2020

from 2.8% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

42.6%

+2.0 ptssince 2020

from 40.6% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

68.1%

+1.8 ptssince 2020

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)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)26.5%(295)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era44.7%(498)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War1.6%(18)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

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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