CensusEasy
COUNTY

Knox County

Kentucky · 29,532 residents (2025 est.) · 386.33 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Part of the Corbin micropolitan area
Compare
The short version

Knox County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $32,527. Population has declined 6% since 2000. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $118,700. The poverty rate of 36.9% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 49% less than the Kentucky median.

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

Total population
29,865
−6%since 2000
from 31,795 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
77 / sq mi
−8%since 2009
from 84 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.7
+12%since 2000
from 35.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:29,532 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
29K30K31K32K33K1990201020202024Knox County
202430K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.1%(1,822)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.8%(2,038)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(1,963)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(1,934)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246%(1,781)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413%(3,885)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.6%(3,452)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.9%(3,848)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.2%(3,939)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.9%(2,954)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.9%(1,752)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(497)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$32,527
−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $18,294 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$20,708
+94%since 2000
from $10,660 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
21.2%
+11.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.3% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
36.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2000
from 34.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.525
+3%since 2010
from 0.507 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Information11%
US avg: 10.8%
Retail trade10.2%
US avg: 9.9%
Wholesale trade8.7%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance5.7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing3.1%
US avg: 1.6%
Other services2.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration2%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.2%
Manufacturing1.9%
US avg: 0.4%
Education & health services1.4%
US avg: 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Construction1.2%
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$118,700
+50%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$681
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $327 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
65.3%
−6.1 ptssince 2000
from 71.4% in 2000
34.7% rent
Vacancy rate
15.5%
+0.9 ptssince 2009
from 14.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
20.1%
−1.2 ptssince 2009
from 21.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
34.1%
−9.3 ptssince 2009
from 43.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.6
+21%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Knox County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.4%(30,970)
Black0.8%(262)
Hispanic / Latino0.6%(180)
Asian0.2%(50)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic95%(28,380)
Black1%(312)
Hispanic / Latino1.3%(389)
Asian0.2%(57)
Other2.4%(727)
Diversity Score
12
+50%since 2009
from 8 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
39
+58%since 2020
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

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.7%(218)
Peruvian0.1%(22)
Spaniard0.1%(16)
Asian origin
Cambodian0.2%(57)
Ancestry
English12.5%(3,734)
American10%(2,976)
Irish9.5%(2,841)
German4.7%(1,396)
Scotch-Irish1.6%(468)
Scottish1.2%(361)
British1%(309)
Italian1%(304)
French0.5%(156)
Polish0.2%(61)
Norwegian0.2%(59)
Dutch0.2%(51)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
Czech0.1%(42)
Swedish0.1%(30)
Arab0.1%(25)
Slovak0.1%(25)
Russian0.1%(20)
Belgian0.1%(16)
Welsh0%(14)
Lebanese0%(10)
Swiss0%(9)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest Scotch-Irish population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
13.6%
+4.8 ptssince 2000
from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
76.9%
+22.8 ptssince 2000
from 54.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.9%
+2.8 ptssince 2000
from 4.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.4 min
+41%since 2000
from 17.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
79.8%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 82.4% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.1%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 10.9% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
8.8%
+6.1 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−2.7 ptssince 2009
from 3.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.0%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
12.4%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 13.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
8.1%
−7.8 ptssince 2011
from 15.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
41.5%
−5.1 ptssince 2011
from 46.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
12.9%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 16.6% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
29.3%
−27.9 ptssince 2009
from 57.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
48.5%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
Female
51.5%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 51.9% in 2009
Foreign born
0.7%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
3.7%
−43.3 ptssince 2009
from 47.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
24.1%
+1.8 ptssince 2012
from 22.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
8.6%
−72.6 ptssince 2013
from 81.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.3%
+37.3 ptssince 2017
from 48.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
98.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2016
from 98.7% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
0.6%
−0.1 ptssince 2016
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.3%(3,893)
Married48.6%(5,683)
Widowed4.1%(478)
Divorced13.9%(1,629)
Women 15+
Never married19.1%(2,357)
Married50.9%(6,290)
Widowed11.2%(1,387)
Divorced18.8%(2,325)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

Places similar to Knox County

Dallas County
Pop 35,140
Sumter County
Pop 28,801
St. Francis County
Pop 21,800
Johnson County
Pop 26,225
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%
Population22,829−23%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Whitley County
Income$44,615+37%
Home value$131,800+11%
Population37,297+26%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income$40,900+26%
Home value$90,700−24%
Population19,465−34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
KNOX COUNTY VS
Laurel County
Income$57,771+78%
Home value$159,500+34%
Population63,746+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.

Keep going

Explore from here

11 census tracts
Census Tract 9304.01Census Tract 9305.02Census Tract 9302Census Tract 9304.02Census Tract 9305.01Census Tract 9303Census Tract 9306.03Census Tract 9307Census Tract 9306.04Census Tract 9306.02Census Tract 9301
15 ZIP codes
ZIP 40906ZIP 40734ZIP 40771ZIP 40935ZIP 40943ZIP 40923ZIP 40915ZIP 40903ZIP 40949ZIP 40953ZIP 40997ZIP 40982ZIP 40921ZIP 40995ZIP 40946
Up the hierarchy
All counties in Kentucky
Rankings
Highest income countiesLowest poverty counties

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

How we source and harmonize this data →