With 102,748 people, Paducah is a metro area. 2% of people across the metro were born outside the United States. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $167,463. 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. At a median age of 43.2, this is an older place than the country as a whole. Renters pay $870 a month at the median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $64,050, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 43.2
US median: 38.9
Less educated
25% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 29%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Paducah
What changed most since 1990
White share91.5% → 84.1%(−7.4 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
Among the 21 metro and micro areas based in Kentucky
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)20.7%(1,173)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)25.3%(1,434)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era37.4%(2,120)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War2.5%(141)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.3%(72)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 5,669 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
Over time
Paducah, decade by decade
Paducah population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
99,833
$51,810
$102,141
11.7%
19.2
2000
104,116
$60,099
$130,059
15.1%
24.2
2010
103,866
$58,841
$138,913
17.7%
28.5
2020
103,486
$57,813
$153,643
21.8%
38.3
2024
102,748
$64,050
$167,463
24.7%
35.1
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
