United States › Kentucky › Monroe County COUNTY
Monroe County Kentucky · 11,191 residents (2025 est.) · 329 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Monroe County is a county of 11,269 people in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 16% of adults. The typical home is worth $115,900, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 2%. Median rent is $657 a month. 22.1% 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 41.1
US median: 38.9
Less educated
16% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,756 in 2000
11,191 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 35 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 11K 11K 12K 12K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Monroe County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $51,280
+26%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,356 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $14,365 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.465 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Transportation & warehousing 4.5%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 4.3%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.7%
Public administration 2.7%
Education & health services 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.4%
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$115,900
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $56,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$657
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $304 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 75.2% in 2000
29.1% rent
from 15.6% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.44 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 38.7% 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 95.1%(11,178)
Hispanic / Latino 1.4%(170)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.3%(10,286)
Hispanic / Latino 4.6%(522)
from 16 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 17 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
+ 7 more ancestry groups with data from 8.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 57.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 0.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 7.2% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 16.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.4% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 24.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 79.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 87.0% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.0% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.5%(1,230)
Women 15+
Never married 22.8%(1,033)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 13.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 40.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 34.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 1.9% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 49.6% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.1% 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) 9.7%(38)
Gulf War (1990s) 22.3%(87)
Share of the 391 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 Monroe County Head to head
Compare Monroe County to nearby counties MONROE COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income $39,972 −22%
Home value $136,400 +18%
Population 7,821 −30%
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MONROE COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income $40,000 −22%
Home value $141,100 +22%
Population 5,992 −46%
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MONROE COUNTY VS
Metcalfe County
Income $51,473 same
Home value $110,200 −5%
Population 10,583 −5%
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MONROE COUNTY VS
Macon County
Income $59,177 +15%
Home value $225,700 +95%
Population 27,663 +147%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Monroe County, Kentucky? Monroe County, Kentucky has about 11,269 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Monroe County, Kentucky? The typical household in Monroe County, Kentucky earns about $51,280 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Monroe County, Kentucky expensive? In Monroe County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $115,900, and the typical rent is about $657 a month.
How educated are people in Monroe County, Kentucky? About 16.0% of adults age 25 and over in Monroe County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Monroe County, Kentucky? About 22.1% of people in Monroe County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Monroe County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Monroe County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 132 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.
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