CensusEasy
CensusEasy
COUNTY

Jefferson County

Kentucky · 795,222 residents (2025 est.) · 381 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Louisville/Jefferson County metro government metro area
The short version

Jefferson County is a county of 783,022 people in Kentucky. There are 2,056 people per square mile. The typical home is worth $248,400, having more than doubled since 2000. Growth has run 13% since 2000, or 89,418 more people. The median household earns $69,866, about 15% below the national median. About 37% of adults have finished a four-year degree.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $69,866, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.4
US median: 38.9
Average education
37% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 35%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place

What stands out about Jefferson County

Among the 120 counties in Kentucky

  • 13th in household income$69,866
  • 6th in share with a bachelor's degree37.0%
  • 11th in home value$248,400
  • 1st in diversity score70.3
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
783,022
+13%since 2000
from 693,604 in 2000
795,222 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
2,056 / sq mi
+13%since 2000
from 1,821 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
38.4
+5%since 2000
from 36.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
381 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
653K689K724K759K795K19902000201020202024Jefferson County
2024783K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(47,804)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.8%(45,798)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(50,819)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.1%(47,458)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.1%(48,098)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.7%(114,853)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4413.1%(102,771)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.8%(92,327)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.6%(98,777)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.4%(81,577)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.9%(38,361)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.8%(14,379)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$69,866
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $39,457 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$42,087
+88%since 2000
from $22,352 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
46.6%
+19.3 ptssince 2009
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
14.3%
+1.9 ptssince 2000
from 12.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.481
+2%since 2010
from 0.470 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade12.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance9.4%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical8.6%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services8.1%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration6.2%
US avg: 4.8%
Wholesale trade4.8%
US avg: 6.9%
Transportation & warehousing2.4%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.7%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services0.8%
US avg: 0.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing0.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.2%
US avg: 1.2%
Manufacturing0%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$248,400
+35%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $100,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$1,149
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $494 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
62.1%
−2.8 ptssince 2000
from 64.9% in 2000
37.9% rent
Vacancy rate
7.8%
−2.2 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.32 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.36 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
20.1%
−3.8 ptssince 2009
from 23.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
44.2%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 44.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.6
+12%since 2009
from 3.2 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
62
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic76.4%(530,056)
Black18.7%(130,003)
Hispanic / Latino1.8%(12,370)
Asian1.4%(9,562)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic62%(485,189)
Black20.6%(160,926)
Hispanic / Latino8.6%(67,277)
Asian3.1%(24,557)
Other5.8%(45,073)
Diversity Score
70
+34%since 2009
from 53 in 2009
1990 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
39
−8%since 2020
from 42 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

Hispanic origin
Cuban3.4%(26,323)
Mexican2.7%(21,016)
Central American0.9%(6,848)
Puerto Rican0.5%(4,183)
South American0.5%(4,151)
Guatemalan0.4%(3,275)
Honduran0.3%(2,412)
Colombian0.2%(1,268)
Spaniard0.1%(1,158)
Venezuelan0.1%(1,055)
Peruvian0.1%(950)
Dominican0.1%(705)
+ 9 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(437)
Nicaraguan0%(340)
Salvadoran0%(311)
Argentine0%(292)
Chilean0%(274)
Bolivian0%(139)
Ecuadorian0%(133)
Asian origin
Asian Indian1%(7,654)
Vietnamese0.5%(3,564)
Filipino0.3%(2,365)
Chinese0.2%(1,855)
Korean0.2%(1,788)
Nepalese0.2%(1,565)
Burmese0.2%(1,503)
Pakistani0.1%(875)
Japanese0.1%(435)
Bhutanese0.1%(394)
Cambodian0%(353)
Kazakh0%(278)
+ 8 more asian origin groups with data
Sri Lankan0%(178)
Laotian0%(146)
Taiwanese0%(134)
Thai0%(59)
Hmong0%(6)
Pacific Islander origin
Samoan0%(182)
Chamorro0%(73)
Fijian0%(10)
Ancestry
German15.6%(122,191)
English12%(94,030)
Irish12%(93,820)
American5.7%(44,385)
Subsaharan African3.1%(24,032)
Italian2.7%(20,771)
Scottish1.8%(14,477)
French1.6%(12,401)
Polish1.1%(8,726)
Scotch-Irish0.9%(7,270)
Arab0.8%(6,408)
Dutch0.7%(5,748)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Welsh0.5%(4,260)
Swedish0.5%(3,965)
West Indian0.5%(3,584)
British0.4%(3,087)
Norwegian0.4%(2,919)
Russian0.3%(2,494)
Swiss0.3%(2,307)
Jamaican0.2%(1,542)
Portuguese0.2%(1,323)
Somali0.2%(1,316)
Moroccan0.2%(1,299)
Hungarian0.2%(1,290)
Haitian0.2%(1,281)
Nigerian0.2%(1,271)
Lebanese0.2%(1,187)
French Canadian0.1%(1,134)
Iraqi0.1%(1,124)
Lithuanian0.1%(1,124)
Czech0.1%(1,121)
Canadian0.1%(1,031)
Ukrainian0.1%(998)
Greek0.1%(945)
Croatian0.1%(815)
Ethiopian0.1%(776)
Austrian0.1%(756)
Iranian0.1%(752)
Danish0.1%(745)
Slovak0.1%(715)
Belgian0.1%(515)
Turkish0.1%(480)
Latvian0.1%(448)
Finnish0.1%(394)
Syrian0%(344)
Kenyan0%(338)
Serbian0%(276)
Barbadian0%(259)
Egyptian0%(251)
Romanian0%(240)
Jordanian0%(207)
Brazilian0%(205)
Slovene0%(194)
Ghanaian0%(148)
Bulgarian0%(118)
Armenian0%(102)
Israeli0%(92)
Guyanese0%(88)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
37.0%
+12.2 ptssince 2000
from 24.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
91.3%
+9.4 ptssince 2000
from 81.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
15.5%
+5.9 ptssince 2000
from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
22.2 min
+70%since 2000
from 13.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.4%
−9.4 ptssince 2009
from 81.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
8.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
1.5%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
14.2%
+11.6 ptssince 2009
from 2.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.3%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
8.7%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.2%
−4.3 ptssince 2011
from 9.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
65.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2011
from 66.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
76.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 76.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
10.8%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
41.3%
+6.4 ptssince 2009
from 34.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.7%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 48.0% in 2009
Female
51.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 52.0% in 2009
Foreign born
10.0%
+4.8 ptssince 2009
from 5.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.2%
−4.5 ptssince 2009
from 10.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
14.4%
−0.1 ptssince 2012
from 14.5% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.7%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 13.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
90.9%
+13.2 ptssince 2017
from 77.7% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.9%
+3.6 ptssince 2020
from 91.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
86.4%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 84.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
87.1%
−4.2 ptssince 2016
from 91.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
6.7%
+2.9 ptssince 2016
from 3.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married39%(119,679)
Married46.8%(143,788)
Widowed3.1%(9,423)
Divorced11.1%(34,216)
Women 15+
Never married33.7%(111,831)
Married43.1%(142,745)
Widowed9%(29,823)
Divorced14.2%(47,096)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
5.7%
−7.5 ptssince 2013
from 13.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
56.4%
−1.9 ptssince 2020
from 58.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.4%
−0.9 ptssince 2020
from 13.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
18.8%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
25.1%
+1.9 ptssince 2020
from 23.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
66.6%
−3.1 ptssince 2020
from 69.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
41.3%
+2.3 ptssince 2020
from 39.0% 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)21.6%(8,157)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.6%(9,652)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era30.9%(11,631)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War4.2%(1,579)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.7%(653)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 37,679 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
Over time

Jefferson County, decade by decade

Jefferson County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
1990664,937$65,023$135,12419.3%38.3
2000693,604$71,877$183,62324.8%47.5
2010741,096$65,242$209,88728.5%57.2
2020782,969$70,536$215,86433.9%69.3
2024783,022$69,866$248,40037.0%70.3

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Jefferson County

Jackson County
Pop 732,994
Oklahoma County
Pop 822,125
Hamilton County
Pop 838,418
Tulsa County
Pop 698,782
Places similar to Jefferson County
Head to head

Compare Jefferson County to nearby counties

JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Bullitt County
Income$80,558+15%
Home value$247,200same
Population86,454−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Floyd County
Income$79,704+14%
Home value$251,000+1%
Population82,153−90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Oldham County
Income$122,497+75%
Home value$393,100+58%
Population70,986−91%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
JEFFERSON COUNTY VS
Clark County
Income$74,214+6%
Home value$222,900−10%
Population130,451−84%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Jefferson County, Kentucky?

Jefferson County, Kentucky has about 783,022 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Jefferson County, Kentucky earns about $69,866 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Jefferson County, Kentucky expensive?

In Jefferson County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $248,400, and the typical rent is about $1,149 a month.

How educated are people in Jefferson County, Kentucky?

About 37.0% of adults age 25 and over in Jefferson County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Jefferson County, Kentucky?

About 14.3% of people in Jefferson County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Jefferson County, Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Jefferson County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 118,085 residents, a change of about 18 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Up the hierarchy
All counties in Kentucky

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

How we source and harmonize this data →