McCreary County, Kentucky

3 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 16,905
Median household income: $37,355
Median home value: $77,000

McCreary County, Kentucky counts 16,905 residents. 3 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $37,355 is below the Kentucky median ($62,417).

From 2019 to 2023, McCreary County's population declined 3.2% from 17,465 to 16,905, while its median household income rose 32.9% from $28,105 to $37,355.

78.6% of workers drive to work alone. 63.9% of homes are single-family detached houses.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 16,905
Median age: 38.7 yrs
Median household income: $37,355
Median home value: $77,000
Median gross rent: $588
Housing units: 6,919
Homeownership rate: 74.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 9.1%
Unemployment rate: 2.3%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

17,46516,905

Median household income

$28,105$37,355

Median home value

$69,700$77,000

Median gross rent

$555$588

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	17,465	$28,105	$69,700	$555
2020	17,333	$29,499	$76,700	$543
2021	17,044	$33,939	$80,300	$564
2022	16,892	$35,000	$85,300	$580
2023	16,905	$37,355	$77,000	$588

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

Age distribution

Under 55.6%

5 to 1716.3%

18 to 247.8%

25 to 3413.7%

35 to 4414.1%

45 to 5413.6%

55 to 6412.9%

65 to 749.9%

75 and over6.2%

	Count	Share
Under 5	940	5.6%
5 to 17	2,752	16.3%
18 to 24	1,313	7.8%
25 to 34	2,313	13.7%
35 to 44	2,391	14.1%
45 to 54	2,306	13.6%
55 to 64	2,173	12.9%
65 to 74	1,669	9.9%
75 and over	1,048	6.2%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	15,042	89.0%
Black or African American	1,121	6.6%
American Indian & Alaska Native	11	0.1%
Asian	9	0.1%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	9	0.1%
Some other race	11	0.1%
Two or more races	406	2.4%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	296	1.8%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma22.5%

High school graduate40.0%

Some college or associate's28.3%

Bachelor's degree5.3%

Graduate or professional degree3.8%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,682	22.5%
High school graduate	4,759	40.0%
Some college or associate's	3,372	28.3%
Bachelor's degree	630	5.3%
Graduate or professional degree	457	3.8%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 32 min

Drove alone78.6%

Carpooled11.6%

Public transit0.1%

Walked0.1%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home7.6%

Other means1.8%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	3,682	78.6%
Carpooled	541	11.6%
Public transit	3	0.1%
Walked	7	0.1%
Bicycle	10	0.2%
Worked from home	355	7.6%
Other means	84	1.8%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	1,075	24.8%
15 to 29 min	1,047	24.2%
30 to 44 min	883	20.4%
45 to 59 min	691	16.0%
60+ min	631	14.6%

Households

Average household size: 2.69
Poverty rate: 35.1% (5,358 of 15,246)

	Count	Share
Family households	3,589	64.1%
Nonfamily households	2,006	35.9%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1985

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	5,595	80.9%
Vacant	1,324	19.1%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	4,164	74.4%
Renter-occupied	1,431	25.6%

1-unit, detached63.9%

1-unit, attached1.6%

2 to 4 units5.5%

5 to 19 units0.8%

20 or more units0.8%

Mobile home & other27.4%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	4,423	63.9%
1-unit, attached	113	1.6%
2 to 4 units	380	5.5%
5 to 19 units	55	0.8%
20 or more units	55	0.8%
Mobile home & other	1,893	27.4%

Geography

County GEOID: 21147
State: Kentucky
Land area: 427 sq mi
Water area: 4.24 sq mi
Center point: 36.7311, -84.4911

Cities & places

Compare with nearby counties

Other counties in Kentucky

119