United States › Kentucky › Russell County COUNTY
Russell County Kentucky · 18,608 residents (2025 est.) · 253 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 18,221 people, Russell County is a county in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 15% of adults. The typical home is worth $163,200, having roughly tripled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 2%. The poverty rate is 23.1%, above the 12.5% national rate. Households here earn about 30% less than in Kentucky as a whole.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.0
US median: 38.9
Less educated
15% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 66%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 16,315 in 2000
18,608 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 68 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 39.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
14K 15K 16K 18K 19K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Russell County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,738
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,042 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,183 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 24.3% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.493 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Public administration 3.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 3.2%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.8%
Education & health services 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$163,200
+66%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $54,100 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$681
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $313 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 79.5% in 2000
29.2% rent
from 26.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.49 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.7 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 97.7%(15,942)
Hispanic / Latino 0.9%(140)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 91.5%(16,679)
Hispanic / Latino 4.6%(842)
from 8 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
+ 9 more ancestry groups with data from 9.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 61.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 15.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 82.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 5.0% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.8% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 53.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 64.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 18.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 1.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 19.3% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 20.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 60.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.4% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 96.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 2.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 27.8%(1,996)
Women 15+
Never married 21.7%(1,649)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 20.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 43.2% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.4% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 35.9% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 3.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 54.0% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 54.4% 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) 10.5%(88)
Share of the 835 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
Drill deeper
Places similar to Russell County Head to head
Compare Russell County to nearby counties RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Adair County
Income $53,553 +20%
Home value $150,800 −8%
Population 19,423 +4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Wayne County
Income $45,739 +2%
Home value $135,700 −17%
Population 19,597 +5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Clinton County
Income $44,844 same
Home value $122,200 −25%
Population 9,139 −51%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSSELL COUNTY VS
Cumberland County
Income $40,000 −11%
Home value $141,100 −14%
Population 5,992 −68%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Russell County, Kentucky? Russell County, Kentucky has about 18,221 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Russell County, Kentucky? The typical household in Russell County, Kentucky earns about $44,738 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Russell County, Kentucky expensive? In Russell County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $163,200, and the typical rent is about $681 a month.
How educated are people in Russell County, Kentucky? About 15.4% of adults age 25 and over in Russell County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Russell County, Kentucky? About 23.1% of people in Russell County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Russell County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Russell County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,505 residents, a change of about 24 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 