Owsley County, Kentucky
Located in Kentucky, Owsley County has a population of 3,971 residents and a median age of 47.7 years, making it the #2,966 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 36.1%. The median home value is $80,100, and the median household income is $22,188, which is 70% below the national median.
Demographics
Owsley County has a population of 3,971, making it the #2,966 most populous county in the US. The median age is 47.7 years, which is 22.6% 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 Owsley County is $22,188, ranking #3,196 out of 3,222 counties — 70.5% below the national median. The poverty rate is 36.1% and unemployment stands at 12.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Owsley County is $80,100 (-71.6% vs national). Renters pay a median of $448/mo and the homeownership rate is 70.1%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Owsley County, 7.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 78.9% below the national average, ranking #3,216 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Owsley County is 64.5 years. 27.2% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.4% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
25.6% of adults in Owsley County smoke , 41.2% are obese , and 14.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 81.9 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 66.6 per 100,000.
Firearm Fatalities Trend
Families & Children
42.0% of children in Owsley County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 26.4 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Owsley County is 53.1%. The mean commute time is 27.2 min, which is 1.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Owsley County voted Republican with a margin of 77.4%. The vote was 11% Dem / 88.4% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 0.7 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Owsley County, Kentucky
Owsley County, Kentucky has a total population of 3,971, making it the 2,966th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Owsley County is 47.7 years, which is 22.6% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Owsley County is $22,188, which ranks #3,196 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 70.5% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 36.1%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 12.6%.
The median home value in Owsley County is $80,100, 71.6% below the national median. Renters in Owsley County pay a median gross rent of $448 per month. The homeownership rate is 70.1%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Owsley County, 7.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 78.9% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 95.2% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 27.2 min.
Owsley County is a community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 95.5% of the population, followed by Two or More Races (4.3%).
All data for Owsley 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.