United States › Kentucky › Letcher County COUNTY · 2020 ACS
Letcher County Kentucky · 21,548 residents · 338 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Letcher County is home to 21,548 people in Kentucky. 11% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 33% national rate. 29.7% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Home values have risen by half since 2000, reaching $54,700. That trails the Kentucky median by roughly 36%. At a median age of 43.6, this is an older place than the country as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $66,278
Older
median age 43.6
US median: 38.8
Less educated
11% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 33%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $265,253
Section 01
Population & growth from 37.9 in 2000
US average: 38.8
Population, 1990 – 2024
20K 22K 24K 26K 28K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Letcher County Age distribution, 2020
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Section 02
Income & economy $33,181
+5%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $21,110 in 2000
US average: $66,278
from $11,984 in 2000
US average: $35,364
Households earning $100K+
from 15.7% in 2009
US average: 43.9%
from 27.1% in 2000
US average: 12.8%
Workforce by industry, 2020
Professional, scientific, technical 5.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 5.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 2%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Public administration 1.7%
Education & health services 0.9%
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$54,700
+2%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $35,700 in 2000
US average: $265,253
$529
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $309 in 2000
US average: $1,124
from 80.9% in 2000
24.8% rent
from 2.39 people in 2009
US average: 2.61
from 1.6 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.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 98.3%(24,853)
Hispanic / Latino 0.4%(110)
2020
White, non-Hispanic 96.4%(20,773)
Hispanic / Latino 0.6%(133)
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 14 more ancestry groups with data from 7.7% in 2000
US average: 32.9%
High school or higher
from 58.5% in 2000
US average: 88.5%
from 3.4% in 2000
US average: 12.7%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 19.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.9
from 80.9% in 2009
US average: 75.1%
from 12.7% in 2009
US average: 8.4%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.0% in 2011
US average: 5.4%
from 44.1% in 2011
US average: 63.4%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
US average: 73.3%
from 28.4% in 2009
US average: 39.3%
Section 08
People & community from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 13.5%
from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Computer in household
US average: 91.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married 27.8%(2,344)
Women 15+
Never married 18.8%(1,631)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.2% in 2013
US average: 8.8%
Direct-purchase
US average: 13.7%
VA health care
US average: 2.3%
Any private
US average: 68.1%
Any public
US average: 35.2%
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, 2020
Gulf War (2001 or later) 8.3%(71)
Gulf War (1990s) 16.6%(142)
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 Letcher County Head to head
Compare Letcher County to nearby counties LETCHER COUNTY VS
Wise County
Income $52,943 +60%
Home value $118,600 +117%
Population 34,824 +75%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LETCHER COUNTY VS
Knott County
Income $41,761 +26%
Home value $77,000 +41%
Population 13,321 −33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LETCHER COUNTY VS
Norton
Income $41,495 +25%
Home value $110,000 +101%
Population 3,477 −83%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
LETCHER COUNTY VS
Perry County
Income $42,181 +27%
Home value $91,800 +68%
Population 26,555 +33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Letcher County, Kentucky? Letcher County, Kentucky has about 21,548 residents according to the 2020 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Letcher County, Kentucky? The typical household in Letcher County, Kentucky earns about $33,181 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 $54,700, and the typical rent is about $529 a month.
How educated are people in Letcher County, Kentucky? About 10.8% 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 29.7% 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 5,452 residents, a change of about -20 percent over that period.
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