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COUNTY · 2010 ACS

Whitley County

Kentucky · 35,637 residents · 438 sq mi
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The short version

Whitley County is a county of 35,637 people in Kentucky. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 12% of adults. 28.9% of locals live below the federal poverty line. The typical home is worth $64,400. 1% of locals were born outside the United States. Households here earn about 32% less than in Kentucky as a whole.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $52,703
Mid-age
median age 38.1
US median: 37.2
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 28%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $225,659
Section 01

Population & growth

35,637
−1%since 2000
from 35,865 in 2000
1990 – 2025
38.1
+8%since 2000
from 35.4 in 2000
US average: 37.2
Land area
438 sq mi
Population, 19902024
33K34K36K37K39K19902000201020202024Whitley County
202437K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2010
Under 56.1%(2,164)
US avg: 6.5%
5 to 96.5%(2,312)
US avg: 6.6%
10 to 146.9%(2,461)
US avg: 6.7%
15 to 198.1%(2,899)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 247.3%(2,611)
US avg: 7%
25 to 3411.4%(4,058)
US avg: 13.3%
35 to 4412.8%(4,572)
US avg: 13.3%
45 to 5414.1%(5,040)
US avg: 14.6%
55 to 6412.4%(4,436)
US avg: 11.8%
65 to 748.4%(3,009)
US avg: 7%
75 to 844.3%(1,546)
US avg: 4.2%
85 and over1.5%(529)
US avg: 1.8%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

$28,122
+1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $22,075 in 2000
US average: $52,703
1990 – 2024
$15,258
+19%since 2000
from $12,777 in 2000
US average: $27,286
Households earning $100K+
13.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 13.1% in 2009
US average: 33.3%
28.9%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 26.4% in 2000
US average: 13.8%
0.481
US average: 0.461
Workforce by industry, 2010
Retail trade14.9%
US avg: 10.9%
Information13.8%
US avg: 11.5%
Wholesale trade5.5%
US avg: 7.2%
Finance & insurance5%
US avg: 5.1%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 4.2%
Other services3.4%
US avg: 7%
Transportation & warehousing2.5%
US avg: 3.1%
Public administration2.4%
US avg: 4.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Arts, entertainment, food2%
US avg: 2.4%
Manufacturing1.1%
US avg: 0.5%
Construction1.1%
US avg: 1.4%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

$64,400
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $49,500 in 2000
US average: $225,659
1990 – 2024
$532
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $352 in 2000
US average: $853
69.6%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 72.6% in 2000
30.4% rent
14.4%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 15.1% in 2009
US average: 12.1%
2.63 people
−2%since 2009
from 2.68 people in 2009
US average: 2.60
20.9%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 21.0% in 2009
US average: 30.9%
36.1%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 34.4% in 2009
US average: 46.8%
2.3
−5%since 2009
from 2.4 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic97.8%(35,062)
Black0.3%(122)
Hispanic / Latino0.7%(249)
Asian0.2%(70)
Other0%
2010
White, non-Hispanic96.9%(34,521)
Black0.6%(205)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(310)
Asian0.3%(123)
Other1.5%(520)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican0.4%(145)
Puerto Rican0.2%(61)
Venezuelan0.1%(41)
Bolivian0.1%(28)
Spaniard0%(11)
Ancestry
American29.4%(10,580)
Irish14.7%(5,309)
German10.1%(3,637)
English8.5%(3,072)
Dutch2.1%(771)
Scottish1.9%(689)
Scotch-Irish1.7%(597)
French1.2%(424)
Italian1.2%(419)
Welsh0.7%(254)
Finnish0.4%(132)
British0.3%(122)
+ 19 more ancestry groups with data
Brazilian0.3%(111)
Polish0.3%(91)
Greek0.2%(86)
West Indian0.2%(85)
Swiss0.2%(78)
Norwegian0.1%(45)
Swedish0.1%(43)
Czech0.1%(41)
Haitian0.1%(20)
Canadian0.1%(19)
Hungarian0.1%(19)
Russian0%(16)
Austrian0%(15)
Romanian0%(15)
Arab0%(11)
Lebanese0%(11)
Section 05

Education

11.9%
−1.4 ptssince 2000
from 13.4% in 2000
US average: 27.9%
High school or higher
70.2%
+8.9 ptssince 2000
from 61.3% in 2000
US average: 84.9%
5.9%
−0.7 ptssince 2000
from 6.5% in 2000
US average: 10.2%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

21.5 min
+30%since 2000
from 16.5 min in 2000
US average: 25.2
82.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2009
from 80.7% in 2009
US average: 76.2%
12.2%
−1.3 ptssince 2009
from 13.5% in 2009
US average: 10.4%
0.8%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 4.7%
2.9%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 3.2% in 2009
US average: 4.1%
1.4%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.8%
0.0%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.5%
9.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2009
from 9.9% in 2009
US average: 8.7%
Section 07

Work & employment

16.9%
+1.1 ptssince 2009
from 15.8% in 2009
US average: 12.9%
26.5%
−0.8 ptssince 2009
from 27.3% in 2009
US average: 35.2%
Section 08

People & community

48.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 47.9% in 2009
51.9%
−0.2 ptssince 2009
from 52.1% in 2009
0.7%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 12.8%
8.9%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 8.7% in 2009
US average: 9.9%
Marital status (2024)
Men 15+
Never married34.6%(4,842)
Married49.2%(6,876)
Widowed3.9%(550)
Divorced12.3%(1,719)
Women 15+
Never married24.5%(3,649)
Married49.8%(7,406)
Widowed11.2%(1,666)
Divorced14.5%(2,164)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

6.2%
−11.1 ptssince 2013
from 17.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
39.3%
−3.3 ptssince 2020
from 42.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
10.3%
−0.6 ptssince 2020
from 10.9% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
19.8%
−1.4 ptssince 2020
from 21.2% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
41.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2020
from 36.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2020
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
48.0%
−4.7 ptssince 2020
from 52.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
56.6%
+3.3 ptssince 2020
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.7%(289)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era42.9%(482)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War0.7%(8)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Whitley County, Kentucky?

Whitley County, Kentucky has about 35,637 residents according to the 2010 American Community Survey.

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

The typical household in Whitley County, Kentucky earns about $28,122 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 $64,400, and the typical rent is about $532 a month.

How educated are people in Whitley County, Kentucky?

About 11.9% 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 28.9% 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 2,311 residents, a change of about 7 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →