COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Laurel County

Kentucky · 43,438 residents · 434 sq mi

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The short version

Laurel County is a county of 43,438 people in Kentucky. 8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 20% national rate. The poverty rate is 24.8%, above the 13.2% national rate. Owners hold 76% of the housing stock. Median home value sits at $46,300. Households take in $18,584 at the median, 38% less than the US figure.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 32.5

US median: 33.0

Less educated

8% 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

43,438

−18%vs 2000

vs 52,715 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

32.5

−8%vs 2000

vs 35.5 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

434 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202463K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.7%(2,909)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.5%(3,266)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.5%(3,708)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198%(3,466)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 247%(3,052)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3416.5%(7,159)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4415.5%(6,732)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.2%(4,444)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 648.6%(3,746)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 746.6%(2,873)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 843.8%(1,662)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1%(421)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$18,584

−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $27,015 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$8,879

−37%vs 2000

vs $14,165 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

24.8%

+3.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 21.3% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$46,300

−5%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $64,100 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$280

−2%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $377 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

76.4%

−0.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 77.0% in 2000

23.6% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic97.2%(51,254)

Black0.6%(324)

Hispanic / Latino0.6%(291)

Asian0.3%(179)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic99.2%(43,078)

Black0.4%(182)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(102)

Asian0.1%(44)

Other0.3%(134)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican1%(623)

Central American0.3%(187)

Puerto Rican0.2%(139)

Salvadoran0.2%(135)

Dominican0.1%(62)

Cuban0.1%(35)

Guatemalan0%(29)

Honduran0%(23)

Asian origin

Asian Indian0.2%(117)

Filipino0.1%(35)

Chinese0%(28)

Vietnamese0%(10)

Korean0%(5)

Pacific Islander origin

Chamorro0%(4)

Native Hawaiian0%(3)

Ancestry

English15.4%(9,670)

American12.6%(7,962)

Irish9.5%(6,002)

German7.8%(4,913)

Scottish1.4%(909)

Italian0.9%(543)

Scotch-Irish0.8%(508)

French0.6%(364)

Swiss0.5%(284)

Polish0.4%(243)

Dutch0.4%(240)

Welsh0.3%(192)

+ 19 more ancestry groups with data

British0.2%(119)

Norwegian0.2%(111)

Arab0.2%(96)

Greek0.1%(78)

Lebanese0.1%(75)

Swedish0.1%(63)

Russian0.1%(54)

Ukrainian0.1%(52)

Austrian0.1%(41)

Belgian0.1%(39)

French Canadian0%(29)

Czech0%(25)

Subsaharan African0%(20)

Hungarian0%(16)

Canadian0%(13)

Portuguese0%(13)

Slovak0%(9)

Syrian0%(4)

Somali0%(2)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

8.2%

−2.4 ptsvs 2000

vs 10.6% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

52.7%

−11.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 63.9% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.3%

−1.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 4.3% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

20.4 min

+36%vs 2000

vs 15.0 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 married29.8%(7,479)

Married53.2%(13,359)

Widowed3.6%(914)

Divorced13.3%(3,342)

Women 15+

Never married21.7%(5,671)

Married53.9%(14,084)

Widowed11.4%(2,985)

Divorced12.9%(3,372)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

7.8%

−11.0 ptssince 2013

from 18.8% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

44.0%

+0.1 ptssince 2020

from 43.9% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

8.6%

−1.4 ptssince 2020

from 10.0% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

20.8%

−1.0 ptssince 2020

from 21.8% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

36.4%

+2.6 ptssince 2020

from 33.8% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.2%

−0.1 ptssince 2020

from 3.3% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

51.7%

−1.8 ptssince 2020

from 53.5% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

53.0%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 52.0% 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)23%(616)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)21.9%(585)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era36.6%(980)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War3.8%(102)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0.7%(19)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,675 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

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