Harlan County, Kentucky

KY · FIPS 21095 · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates

Metric Value vs National Rank Percentile
Total Population 25,772 #1,624 / 3,222
50th
Median Household Income $41,693 -44.5% #3,044 / 3,222
5th
Median Age 40.9 years +5.1% #1,829 / 3,222
43th
Median Home Value $73,700 -73.9% #3,188 / 3,222
1th
Median Gross Rent $678 -41.7% #2,835 / 3,222
12th
Poverty Rate 27.4% +117.2% #3,046 / 3,222
5th

Demographics

Harlan County has a population of 25,772, making it the #1,624 most populous county in the US. The median age is 40.9 years, which is 5.1% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

99.6%
Native Born
0.4%
Foreign Born

Household Type

Economy

The median household income in Harlan County is $41,693, ranking #3,044 out of 3,222 counties — 44.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 27.4% and unemployment stands at 9.5%.

Median Household Income
$41,693 −44.5% vs nat'l
Rank #3,044 of 3,222
5th percentile
Per Capita Income
$22,319 −45.9% vs nat'l
Rank #3,087 of 3,222
4th percentile
Poverty Rate
27.4% +117.2% vs nat'l
Rank #3,046 of 3,222
5th percentile
Unemployment Rate
9.5% +79.9% vs nat'l
Rank #3,069 of 3,222
5th percentile
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
13.0% −61.3% vs nat'l
Rank #3,020 of 3,222
6th percentile
Mean Commute Time
26.2 min −5.0% vs nat'l
Rank #1,644 of 3,222
49th percentile

Median Household Income Trend

Rankings →

Poverty Rate Trend

Rankings →

Housing

The median home value in Harlan County is $73,700 (-73.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $678/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.6%.

Median Home Value
$73,700 −73.9% vs nat'l
Rank #3,188 of 3,222
1th percentile
Median Gross Rent
$678 −41.7% vs nat'l
Rank #2,835 of 3,222
12th percentile
Homeownership Rate
71.6% +11.1% vs nat'l
Rank #2,082 of 3,222
35th percentile
71.6% Homeownership

Median Home Value Trend

Rankings →

Health

95.1% of residents in Harlan County have health insurance coverage, which is 3.7% above the national rate.

95.1% Health Insurance
Health Insurance Coverage
95.1% +3.7% vs nat'l
Rank #612 of 3,222
81th percentile

About Harlan County, Kentucky

Harlan County, Kentucky has a total population of 25,772, making it the 1,624th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Harlan County is 40.9 years, which is 5.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Harlan County is $41,693, which ranks #3,044 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 44.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 27.4%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 9.5%.

The median home value in Harlan County is $73,700, 73.9% below the national median. Renters in Harlan County pay a median gross rent of $678 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.6%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Harlan County, 13.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 61.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.1% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 26.2 min.

Harlan County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 93.9% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (3.6%) and Black (non-Hispanic) (1.3%).

All data for Harlan 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.