Carter County, Kentucky

2 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 26,515
Median household income: $50,389
Median home value: $126,100

Home to 26,515 residents, Carter County is one of Kentucky's counties. 2 cities and places have their primary county here. At $50,389, its median household income sits below Kentucky's $62,417.

Between 2019 and 2023, Carter County's population declined 2.4% from 27,159 to 26,515, while its median household income rose 45.1% from $34,736 to $50,389.

The typical home was built around 1983. 19.6% of residents live below the poverty line.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 26,515
Median age: 41.8 yrs
Median household income: $50,389
Median home value: $126,100
Median gross rent: $701
Housing units: 12,283
Homeownership rate: 78.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 15.4%
Unemployment rate: 4.1%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

27,15926,515

Median household income

$34,736$50,389

Median home value

$95,000$126,100

Median gross rent

$579$701

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	27,159	$34,736	$95,000	$579
2020	26,976	$39,492	$109,500	$585
2021	26,820	$40,092	$106,500	$599
2022	26,671	$47,004	$122,300	$708
2023	26,515	$50,389	$126,100	$701

Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.

Age distribution

Under 55.8%

5 to 1716.6%

18 to 248.7%

25 to 3411.3%

35 to 4411.2%

45 to 5413.0%

55 to 6413.5%

65 to 7411.9%

75 and over8.0%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,542	5.8%
5 to 17	4,393	16.6%
18 to 24	2,305	8.7%
25 to 34	2,984	11.3%
35 to 44	2,961	11.2%
45 to 54	3,453	13.0%
55 to 64	3,592	13.5%
65 to 74	3,163	11.9%
75 and over	2,122	8.0%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	25,254	95.2%
Black or African American	85	0.3%
American Indian & Alaska Native	11	0.0%
Asian	42	0.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	23	0.1%
Two or more races	811	3.1%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	289	1.1%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma17.2%

High school graduate39.4%

Some college or associate's28.0%

Bachelor's degree8.6%

Graduate or professional degree6.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	3,146	17.2%
High school graduate	7,194	39.4%
Some college or associate's	5,115	28.0%
Bachelor's degree	1,573	8.6%
Graduate or professional degree	1,247	6.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 29 min

Drove alone81.0%

Carpooled12.1%

Public transit0.0%

Walked3.8%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home2.3%

Other means0.7%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	7,635	81.0%
Carpooled	1,143	12.1%
Public transit	0	0.0%
Walked	360	3.8%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	217	2.3%
Other means	66	0.7%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,912	31.6%
15 to 29 min	2,421	26.3%
30 to 44 min	1,930	21.0%
45 to 59 min	1,228	13.3%
60+ min	713	7.7%

Households

Average household size: 2.50
Poverty rate: 19.6% (5,058 of 25,851)

	Count	Share
Family households	6,963	67.1%
Nonfamily households	3,408	32.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1983

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	10,371	84.4%
Vacant	1,912	15.6%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	8,136	78.4%
Renter-occupied	2,235	21.6%

1-unit, detached67.6%

1-unit, attached0.8%

2 to 4 units2.4%

5 to 19 units1.8%

20 or more units1.1%

Mobile home & other26.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	8,303	67.6%
1-unit, attached	102	0.8%
2 to 4 units	297	2.4%
5 to 19 units	215	1.8%
20 or more units	135	1.1%
Mobile home & other	3,231	26.3%

Geography

County GEOID: 21043
State: Kentucky
Land area: 409 sq mi
Water area: 2.62 sq mi
Center point: 38.3141, -83.0390

Cities & places

Compare with nearby counties

Other counties in Kentucky

119