Carter County, Kentucky
Located in Kentucky, Carter County has a population of 26,341 residents and a median age of 41.4 years, making it the #1,603 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 19.2%. The median home value is $132,800, and the median household income is $51,235, which is 32% below the national median.
Demographics
Carter County has a population of 26,341, making it the #1,603 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.4 years, which is 6.4% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Carter County is $51,235, ranking #2,706 out of 3,222 counties — 31.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 19.2% and unemployment stands at 5.3%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Carter County is $132,800 (-52.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $740/mo and the homeownership rate is 80.0%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Carter County, 15.9% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 52.7% below the national average, ranking #2,681 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Carter County is 70.4 years. 23.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
21.5% of adults in Carter County smoke , 42.9% are obese , and 14.5% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 81.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 17.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 21.9 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
24.4% of children in Carter County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 31.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Carter County is 56.2%. The mean commute time is 31.2 min, which is 13.0% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Carter County voted Republican with a margin of 58.4%. The vote was 20.2% Dem / 78.6% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.5 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Carter County, Kentucky
Carter County, Kentucky has a total population of 26,341, making it the 1,603rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Carter County is 41.4 years, which is 6.4% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Carter County is $51,235, which ranks #2,706 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 31.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 19.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.3%.
The median home value in Carter County is $132,800, 52.9% below the national median. Renters in Carter County pay a median gross rent of $740 per month. The homeownership rate is 80.0%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Carter County, 15.9% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 52.7% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 31.2 min.
Carter County is a community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 95.2% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.3%).
All data for Carter County, Kentucky comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.