Nelson County, Kentucky
7 cities & places have their primary county here.
- Population
- 47,102
- Median household income
- $67,888
- Median home value
- $224,100
+3.2%’19–’23
+12.9%’19–’23
+44.9%’19–’23
Home to 47,102 residents, Nelson County is one of Kentucky's counties. 7 cities and places have their primary county here. At $67,888, its median household income sits above Kentucky's $62,417.
Between 2019 and 2023, Nelson County's population grew 3.2% from 45,650 to 47,102, while its median household income rose 12.9% from $60,127 to $67,888.
Households average 2.48 people. The median gross rent is $932.
Demographics
ACS 2019–2023- Population
- 47,102
- Median age
- 39.7 yrs
- Median household income
- $67,888
- Median home value
- $224,100
- Median gross rent
- $932
- Housing units
- 20,062
- Homeownership rate
- 77.3%
- Bachelor's degree or higher
- 22.8%
- Unemployment rate
- 3.1%
Trends
ACS 5-year · 2019–202345,65047,102
$60,127$67,888
$154,700$224,100
$761$932
| Year | Population | Median household income | Median home value | Median gross rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 45,650 | $60,127 | $154,700 | $761 |
| 2020 | 45,915 | $63,032 | $164,200 | $799 |
| 2021 | 46,440 | $64,354 | $169,500 | $844 |
| 2022 | 46,779 | $66,212 | $204,000 | $913 |
| 2023 | 47,102 | $67,888 | $224,100 | $932 |
Each year is a US Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimate ending that year.
Age distribution
Under 56.0%
5 to 1717.4%
18 to 247.8%
25 to 3412.9%
35 to 4412.0%
45 to 5413.1%
55 to 6414.0%
65 to 7410.6%
75 and over6.2%
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 5 | 2,819 | 6.0% |
| 5 to 17 | 8,211 | 17.4% |
| 18 to 24 | 3,679 | 7.8% |
| 25 to 34 | 6,073 | 12.9% |
| 35 to 44 | 5,640 | 12.0% |
| 45 to 54 | 6,183 | 13.1% |
| 55 to 64 | 6,579 | 14.0% |
| 65 to 74 | 4,982 | 10.6% |
| 75 and over | 2,936 | 6.2% |
Race & ethnicity
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 42,165 | 89.5% |
| Black or African American | 2,400 | 5.1% |
| American Indian & Alaska Native | 22 | 0.0% |
| Asian | 228 | 0.5% |
| Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander | 0 | 0.0% |
| Some other race | 22 | 0.0% |
| Two or more races | 987 | 2.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,278 | 2.7% |
Educational attainment (age 25+)
No high school diploma8.1%
High school graduate36.7%
Some college or associate's32.3%
Bachelor's degree14.2%
Graduate or professional degree8.6%
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| No high school diploma | 2,625 | 8.1% |
| High school graduate | 11,904 | 36.7% |
| Some college or associate's | 10,468 | 32.3% |
| Bachelor's degree | 4,613 | 14.2% |
| Graduate or professional degree | 2,783 | 8.6% |
Commute to work
- Mean travel time to work
- 26 min
Drove alone84.6%
Carpooled6.9%
Public transit0.0%
Walked1.3%
Bicycle0.0%
Worked from home5.4%
Other means1.8%
How workers get to work
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Drove alone | 18,665 | 84.6% |
| Carpooled | 1,513 | 6.9% |
| Public transit | 10 | 0.0% |
| Walked | 285 | 1.3% |
| Bicycle | 0 | 0.0% |
| Worked from home | 1,191 | 5.4% |
| Other means | 401 | 1.8% |
Travel time
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 7,005 | 33.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 5,702 | 27.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 3,553 | 17.0% |
| 45 to 59 min | 2,716 | 13.0% |
| 60+ min | 1,898 | 9.1% |
Households
- Average household size
- 2.48
- Poverty rate
- 9.7% (4,512 of 46,478)
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Family households | 13,238 | 70.5% |
| Nonfamily households | 5,549 | 29.5% |
Housing
- Median year structure built
- 1990
Occupancy
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Occupied | 18,787 | 93.6% |
| Vacant | 1,275 | 6.4% |
Tenure (of occupied units)
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-occupied | 14,517 | 77.3% |
| Renter-occupied | 4,270 | 22.7% |
1-unit, detached80.7%
1-unit, attached3.2%
2 to 4 units4.9%
5 to 19 units4.4%
20 or more units0.3%
Mobile home & other6.5%
Units in structure
| Count | Share | |
|---|---|---|
| 1-unit, detached | 16,199 | 80.7% |
| 1-unit, attached | 635 | 3.2% |
| 2 to 4 units | 977 | 4.9% |
| 5 to 19 units | 880 | 4.4% |
| 20 or more units | 65 | 0.3% |
| Mobile home & other | 1,306 | 6.5% |
Geography
- County GEOID
- 21179
- State
- Kentucky
- Land area
- 419 sq mi
- Water area
- 5.39 sq mi
- Center point
- 37.8031, -85.4659
Cities & places
7Compare with nearby counties
5Kentucky rankings
21- Largest by population in Kentucky
- Most densely populated in Kentucky
- Highest median household income in Kentucky
- Highest median home value in Kentucky
- Most affordable home values in Kentucky
- Highest median gross rent in Kentucky
- Cheapest median gross rent in Kentucky
- Oldest by median age in Kentucky
- Youngest by median age in Kentucky
- Most college-educated in Kentucky
- Highest poverty rate in Kentucky
- Lowest poverty rate in Kentucky
- Highest homeownership rate in Kentucky
- Lowest homeownership rate in Kentucky
- Longest commutes in Kentucky
- Shortest commutes in Kentucky
- Largest households in Kentucky
- Newest housing in Kentucky
- Oldest housing in Kentucky
- Fastest-growing (2019–2023) in Kentucky
- Fastest-shrinking (2019–2023) in Kentucky
Other counties in Kentucky
119- Adair County
- Allen County
- Anderson County
- Ballard County
- Barren County
- Bath County
- Bell County
- Boone County
- Bourbon County
- Boyd County
- Boyle County
- Bracken County
- Breathitt County
- Breckinridge County
- Bullitt County
- Butler County
- Caldwell County
- Calloway County
- Campbell County
- Carlisle County
- Carroll County
- Carter County
- Casey County
- Christian County
- Clark County
- Clay County
- Clinton County
- Crittenden County
- Cumberland County
- Daviess County
- Edmonson County
- Elliott County
- Estill County
- Fayette County
- Fleming County
- Floyd County
- Franklin County
- Fulton County
- Gallatin County
- Garrard County
- Grant County
- Graves County
- Grayson County
- Green County
- Greenup County
- Hancock County
- Hardin County
- Harlan County
- Harrison County
- Hart County
- Henderson County
- Henry County
- Hickman County
- Hopkins County
- Jackson County
- Jefferson County
- Jessamine County
- Johnson County
- Kenton County
- Knott County
- Knox County
- Larue County
- Laurel County
- Lawrence County
- Lee County
- Leslie County
- Letcher County
- Lewis County
- Lincoln County
- Livingston County
- Logan County
- Lyon County
- Madison County
- Magoffin County
- Marion County
- Marshall County
- Martin County
- Mason County
- McCracken County
- McCreary County
- McLean County
- Meade County
- Menifee County
- Mercer County
- Metcalfe County
- Monroe County
- Montgomery County
- Morgan County
- Muhlenberg County
- Nicholas County
- Ohio County
- Oldham County
- Owen County
- Owsley County
- Pendleton County
- Perry County
- Pike County
- Powell County
- Pulaski County
- Robertson County
- Rockcastle County
- Rowan County
- Russell County
- Scott County
- Shelby County
- Simpson County
- Spencer County
- Taylor County
- Todd County
- Trigg County
- Trimble County
- Union County
- Warren County
- Washington County
- Wayne County
- Webster County
- Whitley County
- Wolfe County
- Woodford County