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STATE · ADMITTED 1792

Kentucky

4,534,824 residents · 120 counties · 554 cities · 1,306 census tracts
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The short version

Kentucky has lower-than-average household income, with a median household income of $63,726. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $205,600.

KY
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
4,534,824
+12%since 2000
from 4,041,769 in 2000
1990 – 2024
Population density
115 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 108 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
39.1
+9%since 2000
from 35.9 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
3.6M3.9M4.1M4.4M4.6M1990201020202024Kentucky
20244.5M
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(266,225)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(283,424)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.5%(294,437)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.5%(293,837)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.6%(298,143)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3413.1%(595,129)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.6%(571,123)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412.3%(557,506)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6413%(590,324)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.5%(476,480)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.1%(232,690)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over1.7%(75,506)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$63,726
+4%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $33,672 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$35,821
+98%since 2000
from $18,093 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
42.9%
+19.4 ptssince 2009
from 23.5% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
16.1%
+0.2 ptssince 2000
from 15.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.477
+3%since 2010
from 0.464 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade14.3%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.5%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance7%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade6.3%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.9%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services5.6%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration4.3%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2%
US avg: 2.2%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction1.3%
US avg: 1.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.3%
US avg: 1.9%
Education & health services1.1%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.5%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$205,600
+42%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $79,600 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$967
+19%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $445 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
68.3%
−2.4 ptssince 2000
from 70.8% in 2000
31.7% rent
Vacancy rate
10.3%
−1.9 ptssince 2009
from 12.2% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
17.9%
−3.7 ptssince 2009
from 21.5% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
40.4%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 40.5% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+18%since 2009
from 2.7 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Kentucky on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic89.3%(3,608,013)
Black7.3%(293,639)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(59,939)
Asian0.7%(29,368)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic81.5%(3,698,087)
Black7.6%(342,570)
Hispanic / Latino5%(226,744)
Asian1.6%(72,372)
Other4.3%(195,051)
Diversity Score
41
+44%since 2009
from 28 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.5%(111,299)
Cuban0.8%(34,404)
Central American0.6%(28,820)
Puerto Rican0.5%(21,717)
Guatemalan0.3%(14,661)
South American0.3%(12,028)
Honduran0.2%(7,412)
Colombian0.1%(3,817)
Spaniard0.1%(3,425)
Venezuelan0.1%(3,028)
Salvadoran0.1%(2,852)
Peruvian0.1%(2,408)
+ 10 more hispanic origin groups with data
Panamanian0.1%(2,361)
Dominican0%(2,112)
Argentine0%(957)
Nicaraguan0%(883)
Ecuadorian0%(764)
Chilean0%(613)
Bolivian0%(204)
Uruguayan0%(50)
Asian origin
Asian Indian0.4%(17,357)
Chinese0.2%(9,475)
Filipino0.2%(7,744)
Burmese0.2%(7,060)
Vietnamese0.1%(6,333)
Korean0.1%(5,462)
Nepalese0.1%(4,112)
Japanese0.1%(3,980)
Pakistani0%(1,933)
Cambodian0%(1,859)
Taiwanese0%(1,068)
Thai0%(796)
+ 11 more asian origin groups with data
Bhutanese0%(564)
Indonesian0%(416)
Laotian0%(410)
Kazakh0%(394)
Sri Lankan0%(363)
Uzbek0%(144)
Malaysian0%(66)
Hmong0%(44)
Mongolian0%(24)
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.1%(2,373)
Chamorro0%(820)
Samoan0%(731)
Guamanian0%(132)
Tongan0%(50)
Fijian0%(18)
Ancestry
English14.5%(659,510)
German12.7%(576,331)
American11.5%(522,727)
Irish11%(497,366)
Italian2%(91,891)
Scottish2%(89,515)
French1.3%(57,170)
Scotch-Irish1.2%(54,139)
Polish0.9%(40,786)
Dutch0.7%(31,887)
Welsh0.5%(24,396)
+ 51 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.4%(17,193)
Arab0.4%(16,181)
British0.4%(15,990)
Norwegian0.3%(15,402)
Swiss0.2%(9,642)
Russian0.2%(8,918)
West Indian0.2%(8,576)
Hungarian0.2%(7,195)
French Canadian0.2%(6,920)
Ukrainian0.1%(5,943)
Greek0.1%(5,696)
Czech0.1%(4,697)
Portuguese0.1%(4,286)
Danish0.1%(3,984)
Canadian0.1%(3,953)
Lebanese0.1%(3,815)
Nigerian0.1%(3,583)
Jamaican0.1%(3,232)
Austrian0.1%(2,978)
Slovak0.1%(2,846)
Haitian0.1%(2,701)
Iranian0.1%(2,677)
Lithuanian0.1%(2,665)
Finnish0.1%(2,403)
Moroccan0.1%(2,279)
Belgian0%(2,216)
Croatian0%(1,967)
Iraqi0%(1,703)
Somali0%(1,636)
Ethiopian0%(1,588)
Romanian0%(1,561)
Egyptian0%(1,414)
Palestinian0%(1,274)
Brazilian0%(1,255)
Turkish0%(1,129)
Syrian0%(1,096)
Ghanaian0%(1,052)
Latvian0%(1,039)
Kenyan0%(982)
Serbian0%(870)
Slovene0%(848)
Armenian0%(832)
Bulgarian0%(770)
Jordanian0%(488)
Australian0%(453)
Barbadian0%(278)
Israeli0%(204)
Guyanese0%(131)
RANKED:Largest English population · Largest German population · Largest American population · Largest Irish population · Largest Mexican population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
27.6%
+10.4 ptssince 2000
from 17.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.9%
+14.8 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
11.3%
+4.5 ptssince 2000
from 6.9% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
24.0 min
+52%since 2000
from 15.8 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
76.6%
−4.9 ptssince 2009
from 81.5% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
9.3%
−1.7 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.6%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 1.1% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
10.2%
+7.1 ptssince 2009
from 3.1% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.0%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
Unchangedsince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.8%
−1.0 ptssince 2009
from 7.8% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
4.9%
−4.0 ptssince 2011
from 8.9% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
59.7%
−0.8 ptssince 2011
from 60.5% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
13.0%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 12.9% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
37.6%
−23.8 ptssince 2009
from 61.3% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+0.5 ptssince 2009
from 49.0% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−0.5 ptssince 2009
from 51.0% in 2009
Foreign born
4.7%
+1.9 ptssince 2009
from 2.8% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.5%
−41.5 ptssince 2009
from 48.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
17.9%
+1.2 ptssince 2012
from 16.7% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
6.0%
−79.6 ptssince 2013
from 85.6% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
88.6%
+15.7 ptssince 2017
from 72.9% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
93.2%
−1.7 ptssince 2016
from 94.8% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
3.4%
+0.9 ptssince 2016
from 2.6% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married33.4%(604,964)
Married51.5%(934,149)
Widowed3.3%(59,178)
Divorced11.9%(215,370)
Women 15+
Never married26.9%(504,121)
Married49.2%(924,348)
Widowed9.9%(186,275)
Divorced14%(262,333)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 02

Largest cities

1.Louisville/Jefferson County metro government641,962
2.Lexington-Fayette urban county329,751
3.Bowling Green78,505
4.Owensboro60,892
5.Covington41,847
6.Georgetown40,883
7.Richmond40,663
8.Elizabethtown35,448
9.Florence34,018
10.Nicholasville33,857
11.Hopkinsville30,411
12.Independence30,198
Frequently asked

How many people live in Kentucky?

Kentucky has about 4,534,824 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Kentucky?

The typical household in Kentucky earns about $63,726 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Kentucky expensive?

In Kentucky, the median home is worth about $205,600, and the typical rent is about $967 a month.

How educated are people in Kentucky?

About 27.6% of adults age 25 and over in Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Kentucky?

About 16.1% of people in Kentucky live below the federal poverty line.

Has Kentucky grown since 1990?

Yes, Kentucky has grown since 1990. The population has added about 849,528 residents, a change of about 23 percent over that period.

Keep going

Explore from here

Largest cities
LouisvilleLexingtonBowling GreenOwensboroCovingtonGeorgetownRichmondElizabethtown
All 120 counties
Jefferson CountyFayette CountyKenton CountyWarren CountyBoone CountyHardin CountyDaviess CountyMadison CountyCampbell CountyBullitt CountyOldham CountyChristian CountyMcCracken CountyPulaski CountyLaurel CountyScott CountyJessamine CountyPike CountyFranklin CountyShelby CountyNelson CountyBoyd CountyBarren CountyHopkins CountyHenderson CountyCalloway CountyClark CountyWhitley CountyGraves CountyGreenup CountyFloyd CountyMarshall CountyBoyle CountyMeade CountyMuhlenberg CountyKnox CountyMontgomery CountyLogan CountyWoodford CountyGrayson CountyTaylor CountyPerry CountyGrant CountyCarter CountyLincoln CountyAnderson CountyHarlan CountyRowan CountyOhio CountyMercer CountyBell CountyAllen CountyJohnson CountyBreckinridge CountySpencer CountySimpson CountyBourbon CountyHart CountyMarion CountyLetcher CountyHarrison CountyWayne CountyClay CountyAdair CountyRussell CountyGarrard CountyMcCreary CountyMason CountyHenry CountyCasey CountyRockcastle CountyFleming CountyLawrence CountyLarue CountyPendleton CountyTrigg CountyMorgan CountyEstill CountyJackson CountyKnott CountyBath CountyTodd CountyWebster CountyLewis CountyUnion CountyPowell CountyEdmonson CountyCaldwell CountyBreathitt CountyButler CountyWashington CountyGreen CountyOwen CountyMonroe CountyCarroll CountyMagoffin CountyMartin CountyMetcalfe CountyLeslie CountyClinton CountyLyon CountyMcLean CountyHancock CountyLivingston CountyGallatin CountyCrittenden CountyTrimble CountyBracken CountyNicholas CountyBallard CountyLee CountyElliott CountyMenifee CountyWolfe CountyFulton CountyCumberland CountyCarlisle CountyHickman CountyOwsley CountyRobertson County
Metro areas
LouisvilleLexingtonBowling GreenCorbinRichmondElizabethtownOwensboroPaducahPikevilleFrankfortSomersetHenderson
Rankings
Highest income cities in KentuckyFastest growing citiesAll US state rankings

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

How we source and harmonize this data →