Powell County, Kentucky
Located in Kentucky, Powell County has a population of 13,038 residents and a median age of 39.3 years, making it the #2,283 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 22.5%. The median home value is $141,100, and the median household income is $40,309, which is 46% below the national median.
Demographics
Powell County has a population of 13,038, making it the #2,283 most populous county in the US. The median age is 39.3 years, which is 1.0% 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 Powell County is $40,309, ranking #3,065 out of 3,222 counties — 46.4% below the national median. The poverty rate is 22.5% and unemployment stands at 5.8%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Powell County is $141,100 (-49.9% vs national). Renters pay a median of $747/mo and the homeownership rate is 68.2%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Powell County, 13.8% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 59.1% below the national average, ranking #2,956 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Powell County is 68.6 years. 23.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 6.2% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
21.2% of adults in Powell County smoke , 39.7% are obese , and 14.9% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 78.1 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Powell County is 11.5 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 17.5 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 29.6 per 100,000.
Suicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
28.4% of children in Powell County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 46.9 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Powell County is 59.8%. The mean commute time is 30.3 min, which is 9.8% above the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Powell County voted Republican with a margin of 54.4%. The vote was 21.9% Dem / 76.3% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.8 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Powell County, Kentucky
Powell County, Kentucky has a total population of 13,038, making it the 2,283rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Powell County is 39.3 years, which is 1.0% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Powell County is $40,309, which ranks #3,065 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 46.4% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 22.5%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.8%.
The median home value in Powell County is $141,100, 49.9% below the national median. Renters in Powell County pay a median gross rent of $747 per month. The homeownership rate is 68.2%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Powell County, 13.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 59.1% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 94.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 30.3 min.
Powell County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 93.6% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (2.0%) and Two or More Races (1.9%).
All data for Powell 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.