COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Nelson County

Kentucky · 29,710 residents · 419 sq mi

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Part of the Louisville/Jefferson County metro government metro area

The short version

Nelson County is a county of 29,710 people in Kentucky. 78% of homes are owner-occupied. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Median home value sits at $45,600. There are 7,767 fewer people here than in 2000. Renters pay $292 a month at the median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 31.6

US median: 33.0

Less educated

9% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 31%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

29,710

−21%vs 2000

vs 37,477 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

31.6

−10%vs 2000

vs 34.9 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

419 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202448K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 57.4%(2,203)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 98.4%(2,482)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.8%(2,623)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 197.3%(2,182)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.9%(2,061)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3416.9%(5,026)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414.9%(4,425)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.1%(3,012)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 647.9%(2,343)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 746.5%(1,941)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 843.7%(1,104)

US avg: 4%

85 and over1%(308)

US avg: 1.2%

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Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$24,220

−18%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $39,010 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$10,165

−44%vs 2000

vs $18,120 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

15.1%

+2.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 12.2% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$45,600

−31%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $86,500 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$292

−10%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $426 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

78.0%

−0.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 78.0% in 2000

22.0% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic92.3%(34,579)

Black5.5%(2,054)

Hispanic / Latino1.1%(395)

Asian0.5%(189)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic93.5%(27,779)

Black6.1%(1,825)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(64)

Asian0.3%(87)

Other0.1%(19)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Mexican2.1%(979)

Central American0.3%(156)

Puerto Rican0.3%(152)

South American0.2%(107)

Peruvian0.1%(57)

Guatemalan0.1%(55)

Honduran0.1%(51)

Colombian0.1%(50)

Salvadoran0.1%(27)

Panamanian0%(23)

Asian origin

Japanese0.2%(95)

Asian Indian0.2%(86)

Korean0.1%(26)

Chinese0%(12)

Cambodian0%(10)

Filipino0%(7)

Pacific Islander origin

Guamanian0%(14)

Ancestry

English16.7%(7,969)

American13.7%(6,502)

Irish11.6%(5,516)

German10.6%(5,050)

Italian2.2%(1,048)

Scottish2%(929)

French1.3%(606)

Swedish1%(497)

Scotch-Irish1%(485)

Welsh0.9%(419)

Polish0.5%(258)

Latvian0.5%(254)

+ 21 more ancestry groups with data

Dutch0.5%(253)

Russian0.3%(159)

British0.3%(133)

Subsaharan African0.2%(107)

Portuguese0.2%(81)

Belgian0.2%(76)

Ukrainian0.1%(61)

Norwegian0.1%(46)

Swiss0.1%(46)

Romanian0.1%(35)

Finnish0.1%(34)

Croatian0%(21)

Hungarian0%(21)

Slovak0%(20)

Danish0%(17)

Canadian0%(15)

Lithuanian0%(15)

French Canadian0%(14)

Austrian0%(9)

Serbian0%(4)

Slovene0%(3)

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

Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher

9.3%

−4.0 ptsvs 2000

vs 13.4% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

67.4%

−11.6 ptsvs 2000

vs 79.0% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

4.3%

−1.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 6.1% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

24.4 min

+20%vs 2000

vs 20.4 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 married30.6%(5,764)

Married55.8%(10,514)

Widowed2%(386)

Divorced11.6%(2,195)

Women 15+

Never married22.5%(4,422)

Married55.3%(10,881)

Widowed9.2%(1,806)

Divorced13.1%(2,578)

SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

5.1%

−7.8 ptssince 2013

from 12.9% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

58.9%

−3.5 ptssince 2020

from 62.4% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

12.7%

−2.2 ptssince 2020

from 14.9% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

19.9%

+1.0 ptssince 2020

from 18.9% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

21.8%

+3.6 ptssince 2020

from 18.2% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

2.1%

−1.8 ptssince 2020

from 3.9% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

69.3%

−5.7 ptssince 2020

from 75.0% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

38.8%

+3.8 ptssince 2020

from 35.0% 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)21.9%(572)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)21.3%(556)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era36.9%(965)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War2.7%(71)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 2,614 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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