McCreary County, Kentucky
Located in Kentucky, McCreary County has a population of 16,867 residents and a median age of 39.0 years, making it the #2,046 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 38.9%. The median home value is $85,300, and the median household income is $33,750, which is 55% below the national median.
Demographics
McCreary County has a population of 16,867, making it the #2,046 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.0 years, which is 0.3% 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 McCreary County is $33,750, ranking #3,129 out of 3,222 counties — 55.1% below the national median. The poverty rate is 38.9% and unemployment stands at 4.2%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in McCreary County is $85,300 (-69.7% vs national). Renters pay a median of $577/mo and the homeownership rate is 74.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In McCreary County, 8.5% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 74.8% below the national average, ranking #3,209 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in McCreary County is 69.6 years. 30.7% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.0% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
25.2% of adults in McCreary County smoke , 43.2% are obese , and 13.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 35.5 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The suicide rate is 16.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 27.4 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
41.7% of children in McCreary County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 45.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in McCreary County is 47.9%. The mean commute time is 35.5 min, which is 28.6% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, McCreary County voted Republican with a margin of 78.8%. The vote was 10.3% Dem / 89.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About McCreary County, Kentucky
McCreary County, Kentucky has a total population of 16,867, making it the 2,046th most populous county in the United States. The median age in McCreary County is 39.0 years, which is 0.3% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in McCreary County is $33,750, which ranks #3,129 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 55.1% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 38.9%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.2%.
The median home value in McCreary County is $85,300, 69.7% below the national median. Renters in McCreary County pay a median gross rent of $577 per month. The homeownership rate is 74.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In McCreary County, 8.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 74.8% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 35.5 min.
McCreary County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 88.8% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (6.1%) and Two or More Races (2.6%).
All data for McCreary 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.