Harlan County, Kentucky

14 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 26,185
Median household income: $37,198
Median home value: $73,100

Harlan County is a county in Kentucky with a population of 26,185. 14 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $37,198 is below the Kentucky median ($62,417).

From 2019 to 2023, Harlan County's population declined 1.9% from 26,699 to 26,185, while its median household income rose 40.5% from $26,478 to $37,198.

The largest age group is 5 to 17, 17.6% of residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents are the largest group, 94.2% of the population.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 26,185
Median age: 41.2 yrs
Median household income: $37,198
Median home value: $73,100
Median gross rent: $651
Housing units: 13,012
Homeownership rate: 70.8%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 12.7%
Unemployment rate: 11.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

26,69926,185

Median household income

$26,478$37,198

Median home value

$60,300$73,100

Median gross rent

$528$651

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	26,699	$26,478	$60,300	$528
2020	26,307	$28,261	$64,100	$541
2021	26,921	$30,210	$65,000	$589
2022	26,589	$35,128	$71,300	$625
2023	26,185	$37,198	$73,100	$651

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

Age distribution

Under 56.0%

5 to 1717.6%

18 to 246.5%

25 to 3412.3%

35 to 4411.8%

45 to 5412.6%

55 to 6414.0%

65 to 7412.2%

75 and over6.9%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,569	6.0%
5 to 17	4,612	17.6%
18 to 24	1,691	6.5%
25 to 34	3,227	12.3%
35 to 44	3,097	11.8%
45 to 54	3,301	12.6%
55 to 64	3,667	14.0%
65 to 74	3,207	12.2%
75 and over	1,814	6.9%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	24,675	94.2%
Black or African American	387	1.5%
American Indian & Alaska Native	16	0.1%
Asian	63	0.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	22	0.1%
Some other race	56	0.2%
Two or more races	926	3.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	40	0.2%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma20.8%

High school graduate34.5%

Some college or associate's32.0%

Bachelor's degree6.2%

Graduate or professional degree6.5%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	3,800	20.8%
High school graduate	6,320	34.5%
Some college or associate's	5,867	32.0%
Bachelor's degree	1,137	6.2%
Graduate or professional degree	1,189	6.5%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 24 min

Drove alone74.9%

Carpooled16.7%

Public transit0.6%

Walked1.6%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home5.7%

Other means0.5%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	5,427	74.9%
Carpooled	1,214	16.7%
Public transit	42	0.6%
Walked	115	1.6%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	415	5.7%
Other means	37	0.5%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,831	41.4%
15 to 29 min	2,070	30.3%
30 to 44 min	825	12.1%
45 to 59 min	433	6.3%
60+ min	676	9.9%

Households

Average household size: 2.44
Poverty rate: 27.2% (6,930 of 25,446)

	Count	Share
Family households	7,074	67.4%
Nonfamily households	3,426	32.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1977

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	10,500	80.7%
Vacant	2,512	19.3%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	7,437	70.8%
Renter-occupied	3,063	29.2%

1-unit, detached66.3%

1-unit, attached1.3%

2 to 4 units5.1%

5 to 19 units6.0%

20 or more units0.9%

Mobile home & other20.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	8,632	66.3%
1-unit, attached	172	1.3%
2 to 4 units	670	5.1%
5 to 19 units	777	6.0%
20 or more units	115	0.9%
Mobile home & other	2,646	20.3%

Geography

County GEOID: 21095
State: Kentucky
Land area: 466 sq mi
Water area: 2.32 sq mi
Center point: 36.8592, -83.2215

Cities & places

Compare with nearby counties

Other counties in Kentucky

119