Russell County, Kentucky

2 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 18,117
Median household income: $50,520
Median home value: $148,200

Home to 18,117 residents, Russell County is one of Kentucky's counties. 2 cities and places have their primary county here. The median household income of $50,520 is below the Kentucky median ($62,417).

Between 2019 and 2023, Russell County's population grew 1.9% from 17,778 to 18,117, while its median household income rose 31.6% from $38,390 to $50,520.

15.8% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Owners occupy 73.5% of the area's occupied homes.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 18,117
Median age: 42.2 yrs
Median household income: $50,520
Median home value: $148,200
Median gross rent: $660
Housing units: 10,146
Homeownership rate: 73.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 15.8%
Unemployment rate: 6.0%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

17,77818,117

Median household income

$38,390$50,520

Median home value

$95,000$148,200

Median gross rent

$549$660

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	17,778	$38,390	$95,000	$549
2020	17,846	$41,731	$99,000	$571
2021	17,909	$41,851	$112,700	$571
2022	18,021	$48,220	$121,400	$611
2023	18,117	$50,520	$148,200	$660

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

Age distribution

Under 55.7%

5 to 1717.4%

18 to 247.9%

25 to 3411.0%

35 to 4410.5%

45 to 5412.5%

55 to 6414.4%

65 to 7412.5%

75 and over8.1%

	Count	Share
Under 5	1,031	5.7%
5 to 17	3,147	17.4%
18 to 24	1,436	7.9%
25 to 34	1,996	11.0%
35 to 44	1,905	10.5%
45 to 54	2,269	12.5%
55 to 64	2,604	14.4%
65 to 74	2,257	12.5%
75 and over	1,472	8.1%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	16,679	92.1%
Black or African American	175	1.0%
American Indian & Alaska Native	7	0.0%
Asian	2	0.0%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	10	0.1%
Some other race	6	0.0%
Two or more races	447	2.5%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	791	4.4%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma18.2%

High school graduate38.2%

Some college or associate's27.8%

Bachelor's degree8.2%

Graduate or professional degree7.6%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	2,277	18.2%
High school graduate	4,779	38.2%
Some college or associate's	3,471	27.8%
Bachelor's degree	1,029	8.2%
Graduate or professional degree	947	7.6%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 20 min

Drove alone85.3%

Carpooled8.0%

Public transit0.1%

Walked2.0%

Bicycle0.0%

Worked from home4.1%

Other means0.5%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	6,040	85.3%
Carpooled	565	8.0%
Public transit	8	0.1%
Walked	144	2.0%
Bicycle	0	0.0%
Worked from home	291	4.1%
Other means	32	0.5%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	3,290	48.5%
15 to 29 min	1,839	27.1%
30 to 44 min	955	14.1%
45 to 59 min	293	4.3%
60+ min	412	6.1%

Households

Average household size: 2.48
Poverty rate: 23.4% (4,142 of 17,670)

	Count	Share
Family households	4,640	64.4%
Nonfamily households	2,570	35.6%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1989

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	7,210	71.1%
Vacant	2,936	28.9%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	5,300	73.5%
Renter-occupied	1,910	26.5%

1-unit, detached70.2%

1-unit, attached1.0%

2 to 4 units4.1%

5 to 19 units2.6%

20 or more units1.5%

Mobile home & other20.6%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	7,122	70.2%
1-unit, attached	98	1.0%
2 to 4 units	414	4.1%
5 to 19 units	268	2.6%
20 or more units	155	1.5%
Mobile home & other	2,089	20.6%

Geography

County GEOID: 21207
State: Kentucky
Land area: 253 sq mi
Water area: 30 sq mi
Center point: 36.9906, -85.0550

Cities & places

Compare with nearby counties

Other counties in Kentucky

119