United States › Kentucky › Whitley County COUNTY
Whitley County Kentucky · 37,297 residents (2025 est.) · 438 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Whitley County is home to 36,920 people in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 21% of adults. The poverty rate is 26.3%, above the 12.5% national rate. The typical home is worth $131,800, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 1%. 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
Younger
median age 35.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 46%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 35,865 in 2000
37,297 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 87 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
33K 34K 36K 37K 39K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Whitley County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,615
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,075 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $12,777 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 26.4% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.481 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3.4%
Public administration 3.3%
Transportation & warehousing 2%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.7%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.1%
Education & health services 0.7%
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$131,800
+46%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $49,500 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$798
+24%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $352 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 72.6% in 2000
33.2% rent
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.68 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 34.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.4 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 97.8%(35,062)
Hispanic / Latino 0.7%(249)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 94.4%(34,846)
Hispanic / Latino 2.1%(776)
from 8 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 30 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
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data from 13.4% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 61.3% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 6.5% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 16.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 10.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 49.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 59.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 23.2% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.9% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 86.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 98.4% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.9% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 34.6%(4,842)
Women 15+
Never married 24.5%(3,649)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 42.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 52.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.3% 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) 20.2%(227)
Gulf War (1990s) 25.7%(289)
Share of the 1,124 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.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Whitley County Head to head
Compare Whitley County to nearby counties WHITLEY COUNTY VS
Knox County
Income $32,527 −27%
Home value $118,700 −10%
Population 29,532 −21%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WHITLEY COUNTY VS
McCreary County
Income $33,750 −24%
Home value $85,300 −35%
Population 17,124 −54%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WHITLEY COUNTY VS
Laurel County
Income $57,771 +29%
Home value $159,500 +21%
Population 63,746 +71%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WHITLEY COUNTY VS
Campbell County
Income $51,557 +16%
Home value $186,500 +42%
Population 40,290 +8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Whitley County, Kentucky? Whitley County, Kentucky has about 36,920 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Whitley County, Kentucky? The typical household in Whitley County, Kentucky earns about $44,615 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Whitley County, Kentucky expensive? In Whitley County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $131,800, and the typical rent is about $798 a month.
How educated are people in Whitley County, Kentucky? About 20.9% of adults age 25 and over in Whitley County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Whitley County, Kentucky? About 26.3% of people in Whitley County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Whitley County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Whitley County, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 3,594 residents, a change of about 11 percent over that period.
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