United States › Kentucky › Spencer County COUNTY
Spencer County Kentucky · 20,998 residents (2025 est.) · 187 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 20,193 people, Spencer County is a county in Kentucky. The population has risen by half since 2000, adding 8,427 people. Owners hold 88% of the housing stock. That is roughly 61% ahead of the Kentucky median. That puts it in the top 1% of US counties for household income. 1% of people here were born outside the United States.
At a glance
Wealthier
above the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.9
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 59%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 11,766 in 2000
20,998 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
108 / sq mi
+21%since 2009
from 90 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.1 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
5K 9K 13K 18K 22K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Spencer County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $102,618
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $47,042 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $19,848 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 36.4% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 8.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.366 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 7.8%
Public administration 5.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.4%
Education & health services 1.4%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
$330,000
+59%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $114,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$987
+27%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $426 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 82.6% in 2000
12.1% rent
from 6.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.75 people
Unchangedsince 2009
from 2.75 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 25.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 40.3% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.9 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 96.7%(11,377)
Hispanic / Latino 1.1%(132)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 92.5%(18,687)
Hispanic / Latino 2.7%(539)
from 12 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 16 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
+ 15 more ancestry groups with data from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 75.4% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 4.3% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 22.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 10.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.5% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 70.9% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 73.7% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.8% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.0% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 10.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 12.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 8.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 83.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 93.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 90.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 97.9% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 26.8%(2,224)
Women 15+
Never married 21.4%(1,751)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 8.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 68.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 11.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 14.7% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 15.6% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 78.1% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 30.1% 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) 29.4%(321)
Gulf War (1990s) 39.7%(433)
Share of the 1,090 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 Spencer County Head to head
Compare Spencer County to nearby counties SPENCER COUNTY VS
Shelby County
Income $82,604 −20%
Home value $304,800 −8%
Population 51,243 +144%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER COUNTY VS
Nelson County
Income $69,562 −32%
Home value $238,000 −28%
Population 49,036 +134%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER COUNTY VS
Anderson County
Income $74,488 −27%
Home value $225,100 −32%
Population 25,225 +20%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
SPENCER COUNTY VS
Washington County
Income $61,616 −40%
Home value $179,200 −46%
Population 12,368 −41%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Spencer County, Kentucky? Spencer County, Kentucky has about 20,193 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Spencer County, Kentucky? The typical household in Spencer County, Kentucky earns about $102,618 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Spencer County, Kentucky expensive? In Spencer County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $330,000, and the typical rent is about $987 a month.
How educated are people in Spencer County, Kentucky? About 23.6% of adults age 25 and over in Spencer County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Spencer County, Kentucky? About 9.8% of people in Spencer County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Spencer County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Spencer County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 13,392 residents, a change of about 197 percent over that period.
Keep going
Explore from here 