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COUNTY · 2000 CENSUS

Rowan County

Kentucky · 22,094 residents · 280 sq mi
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The short version

Rowan County is home to 22,094 people in Kentucky. The median age is 29.8, younger than the US median of 35.2. Median home value sits at $65,700. 21.3% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Median household income is $28,055, under the $42,589 national median. That trails the Kentucky median by roughly 17%.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 29.8
US median: 35.2
Average education
22% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

22,094
+9%since 1990
from 20,353 in 1990
1990 – 2025
29.8
+14%since 1990
from 26.1 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Land area
280 sq mi
Population, 19902024
20K21K23K24K25K19902000201020202024Rowan County
202425K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 55.4%(1,204)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 96%(1,320)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 145.4%(1,195)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1911%(2,425)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2416%(3,524)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3412.9%(2,840)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4413%(2,873)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5411.4%(2,523)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 648.6%(1,895)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.9%(1,294)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 843.5%(776)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1%(225)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$28,055
+34%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $15,922 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
$13,888
+82%since 1990
from $7,639 in 1990
US average: $21,522
21.3%
−7.7 ptssince 1990
from 28.9% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

$65,700
+13%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $44,300 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
$421
+28%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $250 in 1990
US average: $602
69.8%
+3.1 ptssince 1990
from 66.7% in 1990
30.2% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic97.7%(19,882)
Black1.7%(339)
Hispanic / Latino0.2%(46)
Asian0.4%(80)
2000
White, non-Hispanic95.3%(21,063)
Black1.5%(342)
Hispanic / Latino1.1%(235)
Asian0.9%(197)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin
Mexican1.1%(281)
Puerto Rican0.5%(126)
Guatemalan0.1%(26)
Cuban0.1%(15)
Asian origin
Chinese0.3%(76)
Filipino0.3%(69)
Nepalese0.1%(20)
Asian Indian0.1%(19)
Ancestry
American20.6%(5,072)
English16.1%(3,964)
German12.2%(3,009)
Irish11.7%(2,878)
Scottish2.2%(530)
Scotch-Irish1.8%(445)
French1.7%(407)
Dutch1%(243)
Italian0.9%(227)
Welsh0.7%(171)
Polish0.5%(112)
West Indian0.3%(76)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Hungarian0.3%(69)
Greek0.2%(57)
Haitian0.2%(56)
Swedish0.2%(48)
British0.2%(46)
Danish0.2%(43)
Iranian0.1%(31)
Austrian0.1%(24)
Norwegian0.1%(23)
Swiss0.1%(20)
Russian0%(9)
Czech0%(7)
Finnish0%(7)
Section 05

Education

21.9%
+4.6 ptssince 1990
from 17.3% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
70.9%
+13.0 ptssince 1990
from 57.9% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
11.4%
+2.0 ptssince 1990
from 9.3% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

17.2 min
−6%since 1990
from 18.2 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35%(3,101)
Married53.2%(4,705)
Widowed2.5%(217)
Divorced9.3%(826)
Women 15+
Never married31.8%(3,037)
Married49.2%(4,694)
Widowed8.8%(843)
Divorced10.1%(967)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

6.1%
−11.2 ptssince 2013
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
53.4%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 52.4% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
14.3%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
19.3%
+1.0 ptssince 2020
from 18.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
27.8%
−3.9 ptssince 2020
from 31.7% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.9%
+0.3 ptssince 2020
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
65.6%
+3.4 ptssince 2020
from 62.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.2%
−2.8 ptssince 2020
from 46.0% 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)36.6%(393)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.3%(272)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era31.6%(339)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War1.5%(16)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,074 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
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Rowan County, Kentucky?

Rowan County, Kentucky has about 22,094 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Rowan County, Kentucky?

The typical household in Rowan County, Kentucky earns about $28,055 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Rowan County, Kentucky expensive?

In Rowan County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $65,700, and the typical rent is about $421 a month.

How educated are people in Rowan County, Kentucky?

About 21.9% of adults age 25 and over in Rowan County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Rowan County, Kentucky?

About 21.3% of people in Rowan County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Rowan County, Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Rowan County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 1,741 residents, a change of about 9 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →