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COUNTY

Wayne County

Kentucky · 19,597 residents (2025 est.) · 458.043 sq mi
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The short version

Wayne County has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $45,739. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. 14% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national rate of 36%. Median home value has roughly tripled since 2000, reaching $135,700. The poverty rate of 24.8% is well above the national figure. Households here earn about 28% less than the Kentucky median.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
14% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 69%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
19,602
−2%since 2000
from 19,923 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
43 / sq mi
−5%since 2009
from 45 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
43.8
+20%since 2000
from 36.6 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:19,597 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
17K18K19K20K21K1990201020202024Wayne County
202420K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.3%(1,045)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 95.2%(1,020)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146%(1,174)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 195.8%(1,132)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 245.3%(1,034)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3412.8%(2,507)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4411.7%(2,302)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.2%(2,390)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413.8%(2,700)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7413.1%(2,561)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 846.6%(1,302)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.2%(435)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$45,739
+20%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $20,863 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$25,596
+103%since 2000
from $12,601 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
29.3%
+19.5 ptssince 2009
from 9.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
24.8%
−4.6 ptssince 2000
from 29.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.475
−2%since 2010
from 0.486 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.9%
US avg: 9.9%
Information8.1%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade7.4%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance6.3%
US avg: 5.9%
Other services5.3%
US avg: 6.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing4.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Public administration4.4%
US avg: 4.8%
Professional, scientific, technical4.3%
US avg: 5.1%
Construction3.6%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services2%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing1.2%
US avg: 0.4%
Transportation & warehousing0.6%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food0.5%
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$135,700
+69%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $44,000 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$727
+28%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $313 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.1%
−7.3 ptssince 2000
from 76.5% in 2000
30.9% rent
Vacancy rate
20.3%
+0.8 ptssince 2009
from 19.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
21.9%
+3.3 ptssince 2009
from 18.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
31.5%
−11.1 ptssince 2009
from 42.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.0
+17%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
69
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Wayne County on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic96.2%(19,156)
Black1.4%(287)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(291)
Asian0.1%(19)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic91.4%(17,919)
Black1.2%(239)
Hispanic / Latino4.5%(882)
Asian0%(6)
Other2.8%(556)
Diversity Score
20
+56%since 2009
from 13 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
34
−24%since 2020
from 45 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

Hispanic origin
Puerto Rican1.9%(382)
Guatemalan1.8%(349)
Mexican0.5%(91)
Chilean0.2%(42)
Salvadoran0.1%(18)
Asian origin
Thai0%(6)
Ancestry
English14.1%(2,759)
American11.9%(2,327)
German7.6%(1,499)
Irish7.2%(1,414)
Scottish1.2%(237)
Dutch0.8%(151)
Italian0.7%(138)
Scotch-Irish0.6%(109)
French0.5%(93)
Ukrainian0.4%(83)
Czech0.3%(52)
Danish0.2%(35)
+ 12 more ancestry groups with data
Finnish0.2%(34)
Swedish0.2%(34)
Canadian0.1%(27)
Greek0.1%(25)
Welsh0.1%(24)
British0.1%(16)
Croatian0.1%(13)
Hungarian0.1%(12)
Norwegian0.1%(10)
Russian0%(6)
Polish0%(5)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest American population · Largest German population · Largest Irish population · Largest Puerto Rican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
13.9%
+6.7 ptssince 2000
from 7.2% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
80.9%
+23.2 ptssince 2000
from 57.8% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
5.8%
+2.7 ptssince 2000
from 3.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.8 min
+71%since 2000
from 14.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
72.3%
−9.4 ptssince 2009
from 81.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
14.2%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 11.7% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.8%
+8.4 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
0.7%
−2.6 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.8%
−2.8 ptssince 2009
from 9.6% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
5.8%
−9.1 ptssince 2011
from 14.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
48.6%
−1.4 ptssince 2011
from 50.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
15.5%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
28.9%
−24.3 ptssince 2009
from 53.2% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.9%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.8% in 2009
Female
50.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 50.2% in 2009
Foreign born
1.7%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 1.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.3%
−43.1 ptssince 2009
from 49.4% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
25.9%
+2.1 ptssince 2012
from 23.8% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
5.2%
−77.6 ptssince 2013
from 82.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.7%
+27.7 ptssince 2017
from 58.0% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
96.4%
−0.8 ptssince 2016
from 97.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.2%
+0.8 ptssince 2016
from 2.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married25.8%(2,091)
Married55.6%(4,510)
Widowed3.5%(286)
Divorced15.1%(1,228)
Women 15+
Never married22.8%(1,878)
Married52.3%(4,314)
Widowed12.3%(1,018)
Divorced12.6%(1,038)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Drill deeper

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Head to head

Compare Wayne County to nearby counties

WAYNE COUNTY VS
Clinton County
Income$44,844−2%
Home value$122,200−10%
Population9,139−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Russell County
Income$44,738−2%
Home value$163,200+20%
Population18,608−5%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
McCreary County
Income$33,750−26%
Home value$85,300−37%
Population17,124−13%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WAYNE COUNTY VS
Pickett County
Income$49,030+7%
Home value$178,500+32%
Population5,219−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Wayne County, Kentucky?

Wayne County, Kentucky has about 19,602 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Wayne County, Kentucky earns about $45,739 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Wayne County, Kentucky expensive?

In Wayne County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $135,700, and the typical rent is about $727 a month.

How educated are people in Wayne County, Kentucky?

About 13.9% of adults age 25 and over in Wayne County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Wayne County, Kentucky?

About 24.8% of people in Wayne County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Wayne County, Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Wayne County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 2,134 residents, a change of about 12 percent over that period.

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Explore from here

9 census tracts
Census Tract 9203Census Tract 9202.02Census Tract 9201.02Census Tract 9201.01Census Tract 9202.01Census Tract 9204.02Census Tract 9204.01Census Tract 9207.02Census Tract 9207.01
3 ZIP codes
ZIP 42633ZIP 42518ZIP 42603
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →