United States › Kentucky › Harlan County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Harlan County Kentucky · 26,831 residents · 466 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 26,831 people, Harlan County is a county in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 10% of adults. The poverty rate is 34.2%, above the 12.8% national rate. That trails the Kentucky median by roughly 46%. The typical home is worth $64,100, having risen by half since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 42.3
US median: 38.8
Less educated
10% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 37.8 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
25K 28K 31K 34K 38K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Harlan County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $28,261
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $18,665 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $11,585 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 32.5% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 9.9%
Professional, scientific, technical 3.7%
Public administration 2.4%
Education & health services 1.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
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$64,100
+13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,600 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$541
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $306 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 73.5% in 2000
32.6% rent
from 2.47 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 95.1%(31,566)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(216)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 93.2%(25,001)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 8.9% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 58.7% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 4.5% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.2 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 80.2% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.6% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 39.0% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 29.0% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 20.0% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
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: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 15.1%(186)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.6%(241)
Share of the 1,231 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 +48%
Home value $98,900 +54%
Population 21,642 −12%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARLAN COUNTY VS
Leslie County
Income $35,934 +27%
Home value $69,000 +8%
Population 9,627 −61%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARLAN COUNTY VS
Hancock County
Income $34,960 +24%
Home value $134,500 +110%
Population 7,075 −71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
HARLAN COUNTY VS
Perry County
Income $42,181 +49%
Home value $91,800 +43%
Population 26,555 +7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Harlan County, Kentucky? Harlan County, Kentucky has about 26,831 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Harlan County, Kentucky? The typical household in Harlan County, Kentucky earns about $28,261 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 $64,100, and the typical rent is about $541 a month.
How educated are people in Harlan County, Kentucky? About 10.4% 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 34.2% 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 9,743 residents, a change of about -27 percent over that period.
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