United States › Kentucky › Lawrence County COUNTY
Lawrence County Kentucky · 15,765 residents (2025 est.) · 416 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Lawrence County is a county of 16,077 people in Kentucky. 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $111,700. 78% of homes are owner-occupied. The foreign-born share is 2%. 21.8% of people here live below the federal poverty line.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 42%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 15,569 in 2000
15,765 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 39 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 14K 15K 16K 17K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Lawrence County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $46,772
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,610 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,008 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 30.7% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.464 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 4.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.3%
Public administration 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 2.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 2.2%
Education & health services 1.8%
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$111,700
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $43,300 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$760
+15%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $362 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.1% in 2000
22.2% rent
from 18.8% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.70 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 20.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 39.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.3 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 98.6%(15,348)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(64)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 96.6%(15,538)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(59)
from 5 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 46 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
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 6.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 58.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 26.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.5% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 47.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 45.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 11.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 26.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 24.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 18.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 65.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 75.0% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 95.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Women 15+
Never married 18.2%(1,224)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 18.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.3% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 23.9% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 35.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.3% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 55.3% 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) 11.3%(69)
Share of the 612 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 Lawrence County Head to head
Compare Lawrence County to nearby counties LAWRENCE COUNTY VS
Johnson County
Income $44,904 −4%
Home value $120,200 +8%
Population 22,051 +40%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAWRENCE COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income $58,878 +26%
Home value $127,100 +14%
Population 37,309 +137%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAWRENCE COUNTY VS
Elliott County
Income $45,776 −2%
Home value $123,500 +11%
Population 7,265 −54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LAWRENCE COUNTY VS
Boyd County
Income $61,118 +31%
Home value $130,700 +17%
Population 47,751 +203%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Lawrence County, Kentucky? Lawrence County, Kentucky has about 16,077 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Lawrence County, Kentucky? The typical household in Lawrence County, Kentucky earns about $46,772 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Lawrence County, Kentucky expensive? In Lawrence County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $111,700, and the typical rent is about $760 a month.
How educated are people in Lawrence County, Kentucky? About 14.6% of adults age 25 and over in Lawrence County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Lawrence County, Kentucky? About 21.8% of people in Lawrence County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Lawrence County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Lawrence County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,079 residents, a change of about 15 percent over that period.
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