Pulaski County, Kentucky

KY · FIPS 21199 Republican

Located in Kentucky, Pulaski County has a population of 65,897 residents and a median age of 42.3 years, making it the #832 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 19.7%. The median home value is $166,900, and the median household income is $51,898, which is 31% below the national median.

65,897
Population
#832 of 3,222
$51,898
Median Income
-30.9% #2,666 of 3,222
42.3 years
Median Age
+8.7% #1,408 of 3,222
19.7%
Poverty Rate
+56.4% #2,645 of 3,222

Demographics

Pulaski County has a population of 65,897, making it the #832 most populous county in the US. The median age is 42.3 years, which is 8.7% above the national median.

Population Trend

Rankings →

Year-over-Year Population Growth

Age & Sex Distribution

Race & Ethnicity

Nativity

98.1%
Native Born
1.9%
Foreign Born

Geographic Mobility (Past Year)

Economy

The median household income in Pulaski County is $51,898, ranking #2,666 out of 3,222 counties — 30.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 19.7% and unemployment stands at 4.9%.

Income#2,666
$51,898
-30.9%
vs nation
17th percentile
Per Capita#2,522
$29,394
-28.8%
vs nation
22th percentile
Poverty#2,645
19.7%
+56.4%
vs nation
18th percentile
Unemployment#1,970
4.9%
-6.9%
vs nation
39th percentile

Income Distribution

Industry of Employment

Occupation

Housing

The median home value in Pulaski County is $166,900 (-40.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $803/mo and the homeownership rate is 72.5%.

Home Value#1,867
$166,900
-40.8%
vs nation
42th percentile
Rent#2,072
$803
-31.0%
vs nation
36th percentile
Homeownership#1,938
72.5%
+12.5%
vs nation
40th percentile

Household Type

Education

In Pulaski County, 18.1% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 46.3% below the national average, ranking #2,344 out of 3,222 counties.

Bachelor's Degree or Higher
18.1% −46.3% vs nation
Rank #2,344 of 3,222
27th percentile

Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend

Rankings →

Health & Wellbeing

Life expectancy in Pulaski County is 72.1 years. 25.3% of adults report poor or fair health and 7.9% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).

Life Expectancy#2,470
72.1
-4.0%
vs nation
19th percentile
Poor/Fair Health#2,756
25.3%
+29.3%
vs nation
12th percentile
Diabetes#2,491
12.9%
+15.9%
vs nation
21th percentile
Insufficient Sleep#2,745
41.8%
+12.0%
vs nation
13th percentile
Poor Mental Health Days#1,995
5.8
+3.5%
vs nation
37th percentile
Poor Physical Health Days#2,740
5.2
+17.3%
vs nation
13th percentile
Uninsured Rate#1,169
7.9%
-24.5%
vs nation
63th percentile
Physical Inactivity#2,305
29.5%
+11.8%
vs nation
27th percentile
Food Insecurity#2,758
18.6%
+29.1%
vs nation
12th percentile

Substance Use

23.4% of adults in Pulaski County smoke , 39.3% are obese , and 15.3% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 47.8 per 100,000.

Adult Smoking#2,885
23.4%
+30.3%
vs nation
8th percentile
Adult Obesity#1,837
39.3%
+3.7%
vs nation
42th percentile
Excessive Drinking#246
15.3%
-22.8%
vs nation
92th percentile
Drug Overdose Deaths#1,780
47.8
+47.8%
vs nation
16th percentile

Safety

The homicide rate in Pulaski County is 4.2 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 21.9 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 18.0 per 100,000.

Homicide Rate#469
4.2
-47.8%
vs nation
70th percentile
Suicide Rate#1,796
21.9
+11.0%
vs nation
30th percentile
Firearm Fatalities#1,167
16.2
-9.1%
vs nation
53th percentile
Motor Vehicle Deaths#1,358
18.0
-11.0%
vs nation
52th percentile

Families & Children

22.4% of children in Pulaski County live in poverty and the infant mortality rate is 7.3 per 1,000 live births. The teen birth rate is 32.8 per 1,000 females age 15–19.

Infant Mortality#893
7.3
+7.5%
vs nation
35th percentile
Teen Birth Rate#2,508
32.8
+50.2%
vs nation
16th percentile
Child Poverty#2,231
22.4%
+17.9%
vs nation
29th percentile

Civic & Transportation

Voter turnout in Pulaski County is 63.5%. The mean commute time is 25.1 min, which is 9.1% below the national average.

Voter Turnout
63.5% NaN% vs nation
Rank #NaN of NaN
th percentile

Voter Turnout Trend

Mean Commute Time
25.1 min −9.1% vs nation
Rank #1,925 of 3,222
40th percentile

Mean Commute Time Trend

Rankings →

Elections

In the 2024 presidential election, Pulaski County voted Republican with a margin of 65.2%. The vote was 16.9% Dem / 82.1% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 2.6 toward Republicans .

2024 REP +65.2%
16.9% 82.1%
Dem 31,725 votes Rep
2020 REP +62.6%
18% 80.6%
Dem 31,557 votes Rep
2016 REP +66.7%
15% 81.7%
Dem 28,015 votes Rep
2012 REP +60.6%
19.1% 79.7%
Dem 26,003 votes Rep
2008 REP +55.4%
21.7% 77.1%
Dem 25,766 votes Rep

Vote Share Over Time

About Pulaski County, Kentucky

Pulaski County, Kentucky has a total population of 65,897, making it the 832nd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Pulaski County is 42.3 years, which is 8.7% above the national median of 38.9 years.

The median household income in Pulaski County is $51,898, which ranks #2,666 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 30.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 19.7%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 4.9%.

The median home value in Pulaski County is $166,900, 40.8% below the national median. Renters in Pulaski County pay a median gross rent of $803 per month. The homeownership rate is 72.5%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.

In Pulaski County, 18.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 46.3% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 93.9% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 25.1 min.

Pulaski County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 92.3% of the population, followed by Hispanic or Latino (3.1%) and Two or More Races (2.8%).

All data for Pulaski 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.