United States › Kentucky › Wolfe County COUNTY
Wolfe County Kentucky · 6,298 residents (2025 est.) · 222 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
With 6,443 people, Wolfe County is a county in Kentucky. 9% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. 37.7% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Households here earn about 52% less than in Kentucky as a whole. On income it ranks near the bottom among US counties. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $75,800.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.3
US median: 38.9
Less educated
9% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 7,065 in 2000
6,298 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 32 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.4 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
6K 7K 7K 7K 7K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Wolfe County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $30,417
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $19,310 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $10,321 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 6.7% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 35.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.474 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Professional, scientific, technical 3%
Transportation & warehousing 2.3%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 1.7%
Public administration 1.3%
Arts, entertainment, food 0.7%
Education & health services 0%
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$75,800
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $37,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$501
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $250 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 73.9% in 2000
26.4% rent
from 30.3% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
2.36 people
−18%since 2009
from 2.88 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 27.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 41.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.6 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 98.8%(6,981)
Hispanic / Latino 0.5%(36)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 95.1%(6,126)
Hispanic / Latino 1.6%(102)
from 1 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 17 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 from 10.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 53.6% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 5.2% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 28.4 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 80.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 7.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 2.7% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 1.2% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.0% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 9.4% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 8.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 36.8% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 47.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 26.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 28.1% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 9.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 26.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 14.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 55.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 72.2% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.3% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 99.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 0.2% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 14.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 22.9% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 9.8% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 63.2% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.8% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 35.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 80.2% 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) 36%(54)
Share of the 150 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 Wolfe County Head to head
Compare Wolfe County to nearby counties WOLFE COUNTY VS
Menifee County
Income $45,096 +48%
Home value $125,800 +66%
Population 6,430 +2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WOLFE COUNTY VS
Lee County
Income $37,568 +24%
Home value $83,900 +11%
Population 7,297 +16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WOLFE COUNTY VS
Morgan County
Income $47,913 +58%
Home value $118,200 +56%
Population 14,415 +129%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
WOLFE COUNTY VS
Breathitt County
Income $34,808 +14%
Home value $70,300 −7%
Population 12,558 +99%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Wolfe County, Kentucky? Wolfe County, Kentucky has about 6,443 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Wolfe County, Kentucky? The typical household in Wolfe County, Kentucky earns about $30,417 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Wolfe County, Kentucky expensive? In Wolfe County, Kentucky, the median home is worth about $75,800, and the typical rent is about $501 a month.
How educated are people in Wolfe County, Kentucky? About 8.7% of adults age 25 and over in Wolfe County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Wolfe County, Kentucky? About 37.7% of people in Wolfe County, Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.
Has Wolfe County, Kentucky grown since 1990? Yes, Wolfe County, Kentucky has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 60 residents, a change of about -1 percent over that period.
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