COUNTY · 1990 CENSUS

Wayne County

Kentucky · 17,468 residents · 458 sq mi

Time machine

VIEWING

COMPARE TO

The short version

With 17,468 people, Wayne County is a county in Kentucky. 37.3% of people here live below the federal poverty line. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 6% of adults. Households here earn about 44% less than in Kentucky as a whole. The typical home is worth $29,100. Median household income is $12,560, under the $30,130 national median.

At a glance

Lower income

below the US median

US median: $30,130

Mid-age

median age 33.9

US median: 33.0

Less educated

6% hold a bachelor's degree

US average: 20%

More affordable

home values down 13%, inflation adjusted

US median home: $93,722

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population

17,468

−12%vs 2000

vs 19,923 in 2000

1990 – 2025

Median age

33.9

−7%vs 2000

vs 36.6 in 2000

US average: 33.0

Land area

458 sq mi

Population, 1990 – 2024

202420K

Age distribution, 1990

Under 56.5%(1,137)

US avg: 7.3%

5 to 97.4%(1,292)

US avg: 7.3%

10 to 148.2%(1,430)

US avg: 6.9%

15 to 198%(1,401)

US avg: 7.1%

20 to 246.7%(1,178)

US avg: 7.5%

25 to 3414.8%(2,587)

US avg: 17.5%

35 to 4414%(2,442)

US avg: 15.1%

45 to 5410.7%(1,862)

US avg: 10.2%

55 to 649.8%(1,712)

US avg: 8.5%

65 to 748.1%(1,417)

US avg: 7.3%

75 to 845.1%(898)

US avg: 4%

85 and over0.6%(112)

US avg: 1.2%

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE

Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income

$12,560

−21%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $20,863 in 2000

US average: $30,130

1990 – 2024

Per capita income

$6,550

−48%vs 2000

vs $12,601 in 2000

US average: $14,340

Poverty rate

37.3%

+7.9 ptsvs 2000

vs 29.4% in 2000

US average: 13.2%

Section 03

Housing

Median home value

$29,100

−13%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $44,000 in 2000

US average: $93,722

1990 – 2024

Median gross rent

$216

−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000

vs $313 in 2000

US average: $450

Owner-occupied

76.0%

−0.5 ptsvs 2000

vs 76.5% in 2000

24.0% rent

Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000

White, non-Hispanic96.2%(19,156)

Black1.4%(287)

Hispanic / Latino1.5%(291)

Asian0.1%(19)

Other0%

1990

White, non-Hispanic97.8%(17,079)

Black1.7%(300)

Hispanic / Latino0.2%(30)

Asian0%(0)

Other0.5%(89)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

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

Hispanic origin

Puerto Rican1.9%(382)

Central American1.9%(367)

Guatemalan1.8%(349)

Mexican0.5%(91)

South American0.2%(42)

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)

Austrian0%(9)

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

5.5%

−1.7 ptsvs 2000

vs 7.2% in 2000

US average: 20.3%

High school or higher

44.6%

−13.2 ptsvs 2000

vs 57.8% in 2000

US average: 75.2%

Graduate degree

3.1%

−0.1 ptsvs 2000

vs 3.2% in 2000

US average: 7.1%

Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute

22.8 min

+57%vs 2000

vs 14.5 min in 2000

US average: 21.9

Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)

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

Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured

5.2%

−12.0 ptssince 2013

from 17.2% in 2013

US average: 8.4%

Employer-based

37.5%

−2.6 ptssince 2020

from 40.1% in 2020

US average: 54.8%

Direct-purchase

11.2%

−2.0 ptssince 2020

from 13.2% in 2020

US average: 13.8%

Medicare

26.1%

+0.2 ptssince 2020

from 25.9% in 2020

US average: 18.4%

Medicaid

40.3%

+7.7 ptssince 2020

from 32.6% in 2020

US average: 20.9%

VA health care

3.6%

−0.3 ptssince 2020

from 3.9% in 2020

US average: 2.2%

Any private

47.3%

−4.6 ptssince 2020

from 51.9% in 2020

US average: 67.1%

Any public

60.7%

+7.3 ptssince 2020

from 53.4% 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)17.1%(168)

US avg: 26.4%

Gulf War (1990s)27.8%(273)

US avg: 24.3%

Vietnam era33%(324)

US avg: 33.1%

Korean War3%(29)

US avg: 4.5%

World War II0%(0)

US avg: 1%

Share of the 983 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