Powell County is a county of 13,038 people in Kentucky. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $141,100. Households here earn about 37% less than in Kentucky as a whole. The foreign-born share is 1%. Median household income is $40,309, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $40,309, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 39.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 44%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Powell County
What changed most since 1990
White share99.0% → 93.6%(−5.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Homes owned by their occupants76.8% → 68.2%(−8.5 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Adults with a bachelor's degree5.3% → 13.8%(+8.5 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
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)17.7%(102)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)19.3%(111)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era52.6%(303)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.7%(10)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.9%(11)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 576 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
Over time
Powell County, decade by decade
Powell County population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
11,686
$40,388
$86,402
5.3%
2.5
2000
13,237
$46,480
$98,005
6.5%
5.0
2010
12,613
$45,768
$116,093
10.4%
6.8
2020
13,129
$49,780
$127,264
17.6%
11.5
2024
13,038
$40,309
$141,100
13.8%
15.4
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
