United States › Kentucky › Owsley County COUNTY
Owsley County Kentucky · 3,932 residents (2025 est.) · 197 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 3,971 people, Owsley County is a county in Kentucky. 7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 36.1% of locals live below the federal poverty line. At a median age of 47.7, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Households here earn about 65% less than in Kentucky as a whole. On income it ranks near the bottom among US counties.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 47.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
7% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 27%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 4,858 in 2000
3,932 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 24 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 38.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
4K 4K 5K 5K 5K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Owsley County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $22,188
−23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $15,805 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $10,742 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 11.9% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 45.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.499 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.4%
Education & health services 4.1%
Public administration 2.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.6%
Transportation & warehousing 1.5%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$80,100
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $34,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$448
−11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $276 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 78.5% in 2000
29.9% rent
from 27.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.68 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 27.9% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 3.4 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 98.5%(4,785)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(35)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 95.5%(3,791)
from 1 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 19 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 from 7.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 49.2% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 21.3 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 79.9% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.1% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 5.6% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 6.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 17.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 33.7% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 32.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 21.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.5% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 29.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 71.3% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 30.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 5.7% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 54.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 34.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 72.8% 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) 3.1%(2)
Gulf War (1990s) 17.2%(11)
Share of the 64 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 Owsley County Head to head
Compare Owsley County to nearby counties OWSLEY COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income $37,568 +69%
Home value $83,900 +5%
Population 7,297 +86%
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OWSLEY COUNTY VS
Clay County
Income $40,900 +84%
Home value $90,700 +13%
Population 19,465 +395%
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OWSLEY COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income $40,000 +80%
Home value $111,500 +39%
Population 13,325 +239%
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OWSLEY COUNTY VS
Breathitt County
Income $34,808 +57%
Home value $70,300 −12%
Population 12,558 +219%
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Frequently asked
How many people live in Owsley County, Kentucky? Owsley County, Kentucky has about 3,971 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Owsley County, Kentucky? The typical household in Owsley County, Kentucky earns about $22,188 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Owsley County, Kentucky expensive? In Owsley County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $80,100, and the typical rent is about $448 a month.
How educated are people in Owsley County, Kentucky? About 7.1% of adults age 25 and over in Owsley County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Owsley County, Kentucky? About 36.1% of people in Owsley County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Owsley County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Owsley County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 1,065 residents, a change of about -21 percent over that period.
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