United States › Kentucky › Letcher County COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS
Letcher County Kentucky · 25,277 residents · 338 sq mi
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The short version
Letcher County is a county of 25,277 people in Kentucky. 8% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 24% national rate. The poverty rate is 27.1%, above the 12.4% national rate. Median home value sits at $35,700. Owners hold 81% of the housing stock. That trails the Kentucky median by roughly 37%.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Older
median age 37.9
US median: 35.2
Less educated
8% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01
Population & growth from 32.6 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K 22K 24K 26K 28K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Letcher County Age distribution, 2000
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $21,110
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $15,112 in 1990
US average: $42,589
from $7,340 in 1990
US average: $21,522
from 31.8% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
$35,700
+3%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $26,400 in 1990
US average: $120,530
$309
+4%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $226 in 1990
US average: $602
from 78.6% in 1990
19.1% rent
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 1990
White, non-Hispanic 99.3%(26,820)
2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.3%(24,853)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(110)
No data for the years selected.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.
Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 6.7% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
from 45.6% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
from 2.8% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 23.7 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07
Work & employment No data for the years selected.
Section 08
People & community No data for the years selected.
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 22.9%(2,257)
Women 15+
Never married 15.3%(1,622)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09
Health coverage Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 8.1% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 46.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.5% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 44.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 65.9% 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) 13.6%(138)
Gulf War (1990s) 10.8%(109)
Share of the 1,012 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Letcher County Head to head
Compare Letcher County to nearby counties LETCHER COUNTY VS
Wise County
Income $52,943 +151%
Home value $118,600 +232%
Population 34,824 +75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LETCHER COUNTY VS
Knott County
Income $41,761 +98%
Home value $77,000 +116%
Population 13,321 −33%
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LETCHER COUNTY VS
Norton
Income $41,495 +97%
Home value $110,000 +208%
Population 3,477 −83%
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LETCHER COUNTY VS
Perry County
Income $42,181 +100%
Home value $91,800 +157%
Population 26,555 +33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Letcher County, Kentucky? Letcher County, Kentucky has about 25,277 residents according to the 2000 Census.
What is the median household income in Letcher County, Kentucky? The typical household in Letcher County, Kentucky earns about $21,110 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Letcher County, Kentucky expensive? In Letcher County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $35,700, and the typical rent is about $309 a month.
How educated are people in Letcher County, Kentucky? About 7.7% of adults age 25 and over in Letcher County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Letcher County, Kentucky? About 27.1% of people in Letcher County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Letcher County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Letcher County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,723 residents, a change of about -6 percent over that period.
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