Monroe County, Kentucky

KY · FIPS 21171 Republican

Located in Kentucky, Monroe County has a population of 11,269 residents and a median age of 41.1 years, making it the #2,403 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 22.1%. The median home value is $115,900, and the median household income is $51,280, which is 32% below the national median.

11,269
Population
#2,403 of 3,222
$51,280
Median Income
-31.8% #2,701 of 3,222
41.1 years
Median Age
+5.7% #1,776 of 3,222
22.1%
Poverty Rate
+75.4% #2,847 of 3,222

Demographics

Monroe County has a population of 11,269, making it the #2,403 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.1 years, which is 5.7% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

98.3%
Native Born
1.7%
Foreign Born

Geographic Mobility (Past Year)

Economy

The median household income in Monroe County is $51,280, ranking #2,701 out of 3,222 counties — 31.8% below the national median. The poverty rate is 22.1% and unemployment stands at 4.0%.

Income#2,701
$51,280
-31.8%
vs nation
16th percentile
Per Capita#2,773
$27,296
-33.8%
vs nation
14th percentile
Poverty#2,847
22.1%
+75.4%
vs nation
12th percentile
Unemployment#1,339
4.0%
-23.9%
vs nation
58th percentile

Income Distribution

Industry of Employment

Occupation

Housing

The median home value in Monroe County is $115,900 (-58.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $657/mo and the homeownership rate is 70.9%.

Home Value#2,744
$115,900
-58.9%
vs nation
15th percentile
Rent#2,916
$657
-43.5%
vs nation
9th percentile
Homeownership#2,182
70.9%
+10.1%
vs nation
32th percentile

Household Type

Education

In Monroe County, 16.0% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 52.5% below the national average, ranking #2,669 out of 3,222 counties.

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
16.0% −52.5% vs nation
Rank #2,669 of 3,222
17th percentile

Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend

Rankings →

Health & Wellbeing

Life expectancy in Monroe County is 72.3 years. 24.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 8.1% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).

Life Expectancy#2,436
72.3
-3.9%
vs nation
21th percentile
Poor/Fair Health#2,608
24.2%
+23.7%
vs nation
17th percentile
Diabetes#2,203
12.2%
+9.6%
vs nation
30th percentile
Insufficient Sleep#2,572
41.1%
+10.2%
vs nation
18th percentile
Poor Mental Health Days#1,670
5.7
+0.8%
vs nation
47th percentile
Poor Physical Health Days#2,833
5.3
+20.0%
vs nation
10th percentile
Uninsured Rate#1,236
8.1%
-22.5%
vs nation
61th percentile
Physical Inactivity#2,331
29.7%
+12.6%
vs nation
26th percentile
Food Insecurity#2,757
18.6%
+29.1%
vs nation
12th percentile

Substance Use

22.2% of adults in Monroe County smoke , 39.4% are obese , and 14.9% report excessive drinking.

Adult Smoking#2,723
22.2%
+23.6%
vs nation
13th percentile
Adult Obesity#1,857
39.4%
+3.9%
vs nation
41th percentile
Excessive Drinking#156
14.9%
-25.2%
vs nation
95th percentile

Safety

. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 23.8 per 100,000.

Motor Vehicle Deaths#1,987
23.8
+17.3%
vs nation
30th percentile

Families & Children

29.6% of children in Monroe County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 44.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.

Teen Birth Rate#2,900
44.9
+105.5%
vs nation
3th percentile
Child Poverty#2,827
29.6%
+55.8%
vs nation
10th percentile

Civic & Transportation

Voter turnout in Monroe County is 66.0%. The mean commute time is 27.1 min, which is 1.8% below the national average.

Voter Turnout
66.0% NaN% vs nation
Rank #NaN of NaN
th percentile

Voter Turnout Trend

Mean Commute Time
27.1 min −1.8% vs nation
Rank #1,460 of 3,222
55th percentile

Mean Commute Time Trend

Rankings →

Elections

In the 2024 presidential election, Monroe County voted Republican with a margin of 77.2%. The vote was 10.9% Dem / 88.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.7 toward Republicans .

2024 REP +77.2%
10.9% 88.1%
Dem 5,308 votes Rep
2020 REP +74.5%
12.3% 86.8%
Dem 5,330 votes Rep
2016 REP +73.7%
12% 85.7%
Dem 4,991 votes Rep
2012 REP +59.6%
19.7% 79.3%
Dem 4,746 votes Rep
2008 REP +52.9%
22.9% 75.8%
Dem 4,665 votes Rep

Vote Share Over Time

About Monroe County, Kentucky

Monroe County, Kentucky has a total population of 11,269, making it the 2,403rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Monroe County is 41.1 years, which is 5.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Monroe County is $51,280, which ranks #2,701 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 31.8% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 22.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.0%.

The median home value in Monroe County is $115,900, 58.9% below the national median. Renters in Monroe County pay a median gross rent of $657 per month. The homeownership rate is 70.9%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Monroe County, 16.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 52.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.0% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.1 min.

Monroe County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 91.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (4.6%) and Two or More Races (2.2%).

All data for Monroe 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.