Lee County, Kentucky

KY · FIPS 21129 Republican

Located in Kentucky, Lee County has a population of 7,339 residents and a median age of 43.6 years, making it the #2,712 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 27.4%. The median home value is $83,900, and the median household income is $37,568, which is 50% below the national median.

7,339
Population
#2,712 of 3,222
$37,568
Median Income
-50.0% #3,100 of 3,222
43.6 years
Median Age
+12.1% #1,034 of 3,222
27.4%
Poverty Rate
+117.2% #3,045 of 3,222

Demographics

Lee County has a population of 7,339, making it the #2,712 most populous county in the US. The median age is 43.6 years, which is 12.1% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

99.3%
Native Born
0.7%
Foreign Born

Geographic Mobility (Past Year)

Economy

The median household income in Lee County is $37,568, ranking #3,100 out of 3,222 counties — 50.0% below the national median. The poverty rate is 27.4% and unemployment stands at 4.7%.

Income#3,100
$37,568
-50.0%
vs nation
4th percentile
Per Capita#3,106
$21,415
-48.1%
vs nation
4th percentile
Poverty#3,045
27.4%
+117.2%
vs nation
5th percentile
Unemployment#1,815
4.7%
-11.0%
vs nation
44th percentile

Income Distribution

Industry of Employment

Occupation

Housing

The median home value in Lee County is $83,900 (-70.2% vs national). Renters pay a median of $603/mo and the homeownership rate is 77.7%.

Home Value#3,140
$83,900
-70.2%
vs nation
2th percentile
Rent#3,049
$603
-48.2%
vs nation
5th percentile
Homeownership#1,002
77.7%
+20.7%
vs nation
69th percentile

Household Type

Education

In Lee County, 9.2% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 72.6% below the national average, ranking #3,196 out of 3,222 counties.

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
9.2% −72.6% vs nation
Rank #3,196 of 3,222
1th percentile

Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend

Rankings →

Health & Wellbeing

Life expectancy in Lee County is 68.3 years. 32.5% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).

Life Expectancy#2,987
68.3
-9.2%
vs nation
3th percentile
Poor/Fair Health#3,101
32.5%
+66.1%
vs nation
1th percentile
Diabetes#3,048
16.0%
+43.7%
vs nation
3th percentile
Insufficient Sleep#2,944
43.2%
+15.8%
vs nation
6th percentile
Poor Mental Health Days#2,744
6.3
+12.4%
vs nation
13th percentile
Poor Physical Health Days#3,132
6.5
+44.7%
vs nation
0th percentile
Uninsured Rate#720
6.7%
-35.6%
vs nation
77th percentile
Physical Inactivity#3,022
35.9%
+36.1%
vs nation
4th percentile
Food Insecurity#3,124
23.9%
+65.9%
vs nation
1th percentile

Substance Use

29.0% of adults in Lee County smoke , 43.3% are obese , and 13.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 104.6 per 100,000.

Adult Smoking#3,127
29.0%
+61.5%
vs nation
1th percentile
Adult Obesity#2,846
43.3%
+14.2%
vs nation
10th percentile
Excessive Drinking#57
13.9%
-30.0%
vs nation
98th percentile
Drug Overdose Deaths#2,094
104.6
+223.6%
vs nation
1th percentile

Safety

The suicide rate is 30.0 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 24.2 per 100,000.

Suicide Rate#2,323
30.0
+51.9%
vs nation
9th percentile
Firearm Fatalities#2,180
27.5
+53.6%
vs nation
12th percentile
Motor Vehicle Deaths#2,022
24.2
+19.6%
vs nation
28th percentile

Families & Children

36.5% of children in Lee County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 52.0 per 1,000 females age 15–19.

Teen Birth Rate#2,965
52.0
+138.1%
vs nation
1th percentile
Child Poverty#3,038
36.5%
+92.2%
vs nation
3th percentile

Civic & Transportation

Voter turnout in Lee County is 47.5%. The mean commute time is 41.7 min, which is 51.2% above the national average.

Voter Turnout
47.5% NaN% vs nation
Rank #NaN of NaN
th percentile

Voter Turnout Trend

Mean Commute Time
41.7 min +51.2% vs nation
Rank #33 of 3,222
99th percentile

Mean Commute Time Trend

Rankings →

Elections

In the 2024 presidential election, Lee County voted Republican with a margin of 67.7%. The vote was 15.1% Dem / 82.8% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 3.8 toward Republicans .

2024 REP +67.7%
15.1% 82.8%
Dem 2,690 votes Rep
2020 REP +63.9%
17.2% 81.1%
Dem 2,801 votes Rep
2016 REP +64.1%
16.7% 80.8%
Dem 2,663 votes Rep
2012 REP +52.7%
22.7% 75.4%
Dem 2,623 votes Rep
2008 REP +44.2%
27.1% 71.3%
Dem 2,773 votes Rep

Vote Share Over Time

About Lee County, Kentucky

Lee County, Kentucky has a total population of 7,339, making it the 2,712th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Lee County is 43.6 years, which is 12.1% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Lee County is $37,568, which ranks #3,100 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 50.0% 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 4.7%.

The median home value in Lee County is $83,900, 70.2% below the national median. Renters in Lee County pay a median gross rent of $603 per month. The homeownership rate is 77.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Lee County, 9.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 72.6% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 41.7 min.

Lee County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 93.4% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (3.0%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).

All data for Lee 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.