United States › Kentucky › Powell County COUNTY
Powell County Kentucky · 12,812 residents (2025 est.) · 179 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
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
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
Section 01
Population & growth from 13,237 in 2000
12,812 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 76 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 34.8 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
11K 12K 13K 13K 14K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Powell County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $40,309
−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $25,515 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,060 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 23.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.444 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 5.9%
Transportation & warehousing 0.9%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
Education & health services 0.4%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 0.3%
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$141,100
+44%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $53,800 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$747
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $406 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 74.0% in 2000
31.8% rent
from 14.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.62 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.4% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 56.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 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.
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%(12,969)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(88)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 93.6%(12,201)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(214)
from 7 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 32 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
+ 6 more ancestry groups with data from 6.5% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 56.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.8% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 24.1 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.1% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.5% 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 9.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.0% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 49.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 62.2% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 26.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 56.3% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 79.5% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 82.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 26.5%(1,361)
Women 15+
Never married 26.7%(1,403)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.4% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 47.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.5% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 20.5% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 35.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 57.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 52.1% 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) 17.7%(102)
Gulf War (1990s) 19.3%(111)
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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Powell County Head to head
Compare Powell County to nearby counties POWELL COUNTY VS
Estill County
Income $46,051 +14%
Home value $119,500 −15%
Population 13,962 +9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POWELL COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income $37,568 −7%
Home value $83,900 −41%
Population 7,297 −43%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POWELL COUNTY VS
Menifee County
Income $45,096 +12%
Home value $125,800 −11%
Population 6,430 −50%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
POWELL COUNTY VS
Montgomery County
Income $56,396 +40%
Home value $172,200 +22%
Population 28,822 +125%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Powell County, Kentucky? Powell County, Kentucky has about 13,038 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Powell County, Kentucky? The typical household in Powell County, Kentucky earns about $40,309 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Powell County, Kentucky expensive? In Powell County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $141,100, and the typical rent is about $747 a month.
How educated are people in Powell County, Kentucky? About 13.8% of adults age 25 and over in Powell County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Powell County, Kentucky? About 22.5% of people in Powell County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Powell County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Powell County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,352 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.
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