Letcher County, Kentucky

8 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 21,146
Median household income: $40,501
Median home value: $70,500

Home to 21,146 residents, Letcher County is one of Kentucky's counties. 8 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $40,501 runs below the Kentucky figure of $62,417.

Between 2019 and 2023, Letcher County's population declined 5.2% from 22,295 to 21,146, while its median household income rose 35.5% from $29,886 to $40,501.

26.8% of residents live below the poverty line. Households average 2.49 people.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 21,146
Median age: 43.3 yrs
Median household income: $40,501
Median home value: $70,500
Median gross rent: $651
Housing units: 10,594
Homeownership rate: 72.6%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 13.7%
Unemployment rate: 5.8%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

22,29521,146

Median household income

$29,886$40,501

Median home value

$58,600$70,500

Median gross rent

$559$651

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	22,295	$29,886	$58,600	$559
2020	21,936	$33,181	$54,700	$529
2021	21,784	$35,278	$61,300	$567
2022	21,490	$38,466	$66,000	$625
2023	21,146	$40,501	$70,500	$651

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

Age distribution

Under 55.2%

5 to 1716.5%

18 to 246.6%

25 to 3411.0%

35 to 4412.2%

45 to 5413.1%

55 to 6414.9%

65 to 7413.1%

75 and over7.5%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,092	5.2%
5 to 17	3,486	16.5%
18 to 24	1,392	6.6%
25 to 34	2,327	11.0%
35 to 44	2,586	12.2%
45 to 54	2,766	13.1%
55 to 64	3,151	14.9%
65 to 74	2,768	13.1%
75 and over	1,578	7.5%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	20,459	96.8%
Black or African American	157	0.7%
American Indian & Alaska Native	6	0.0%
Asian	45	0.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	61	0.3%
Two or more races	259	1.2%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	159	0.8%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma20.2%

High school graduate34.7%

Some college or associate's31.5%

Bachelor's degree6.9%

Graduate or professional degree6.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	3,065	20.2%
High school graduate	5,263	34.7%
Some college or associate's	4,773	31.5%
Bachelor's degree	1,040	6.9%
Graduate or professional degree	1,035	6.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 28 min

Drove alone73.9%

Carpooled13.9%

Public transit0.5%

Walked2.4%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home7.4%

Other means2.0%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	5,047	73.9%
Carpooled	949	13.9%
Public transit	33	0.5%
Walked	162	2.4%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	504	7.4%
Other means	138	2.0%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	2,015	31.8%
15 to 29 min	1,943	30.7%
30 to 44 min	1,050	16.6%
45 to 59 min	726	11.5%
60+ min	595	9.4%

Households

Average household size: 2.49
Poverty rate: 26.8% (5,539 of 20,698)

	Count	Share
Family households	5,565	66.5%
Nonfamily households	2,802	33.5%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1978

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	8,367	79.0%
Vacant	2,227	21.0%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	6,075	72.6%
Renter-occupied	2,292	27.4%

1-unit, detached64.1%

1-unit, attached0.3%

2 to 4 units1.9%

5 to 19 units2.0%

20 or more units0.3%

Mobile home & other31.3%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	6,795	64.1%
1-unit, attached	31	0.3%
2 to 4 units	196	1.9%
5 to 19 units	215	2.0%
20 or more units	37	0.3%
Mobile home & other	3,320	31.3%

Geography

County GEOID: 21133
State: Kentucky
Land area: 338 sq mi
Water area: 1.1 sq mi
Center point: 37.1185, -82.8613

Cities & places

Compare with nearby counties

Other counties in Kentucky

119