United States › Kentucky › Knox County COUNTY
Knox County Kentucky · 29,532 residents (2025 est.) · 386 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 29,865 people, Knox County is a county in Kentucky. 36.9% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 14% of adults. That trails the Kentucky median by roughly 49%. The typical home is worth $118,700, having more than doubled since 2000. 1% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 50%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 31,795 in 2000
29,532 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 84 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
29K 30K 31K 32K 33K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Knox County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $32,527
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $18,294 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $10,660 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 34.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.507 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.1%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Education & health services 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$118,700
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$681
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $327 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 71.4% in 2000
34.7% rent
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.48 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.49 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 43.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.0 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 97.4%(30,970)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(180)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 95%(28,380)
Hispanic / Latino 1.3%(389)
from 8 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 25 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
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 54.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 15.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 46.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 48.3% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 20.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 22.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 48.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 74.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 33.3%(3,893)
Women 15+
Never married 19.1%(2,357)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 32.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 7.2% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 48.3% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 40.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 64.2% 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) 40.3%(344)
Gulf War (1990s) 23.8%(203)
Share of the 853 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 Knox County Head to head
Compare Knox County to nearby counties KNOX COUNTY VS
Bell County
Income $31,354 −4%
Home value $89,000 −25%
Population 22,829 −23%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Whitley County
Income $44,615 +37%
Home value $131,800 +11%
Population 37,297 +26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income $40,900 +26%
Home value $90,700 −24%
Population 19,465 −34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Laurel County
Income $57,771 +78%
Home value $159,500 +34%
Population 63,746 +116%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Knox County, Kentucky? Knox County, Kentucky has about 29,865 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Knox County, Kentucky? The typical household in Knox County, Kentucky earns about $32,527 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Knox County, Kentucky expensive? In Knox County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $118,700, and the typical rent is about $681 a month.
How educated are people in Knox County, Kentucky? About 13.6% of adults age 25 and over in Knox County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Knox County, Kentucky? About 36.9% of people in Knox County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Knox County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Knox County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 189 residents, a change of about 1 percent over that period.
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