Whitley County, Kentucky

5 cities & places have their primary county here.

Population: 36,755
Median household income: $41,719
Median home value: $120,600

Whitley County is a county in Kentucky with a population of 36,755. 5 cities and places have their primary county here. Its median household income of $41,719 runs below the Kentucky figure of $62,417.

From 2019 to 2023, Whitley County's population grew 1.7% from 36,131 to 36,755, while its median household income rose 7.0% from $39,005 to $41,719.

The typical home was built around 1985. 25.1% of residents live below the poverty line.

Demographics

ACS 2019–2023

Population: 36,755
Median age: 35.4 yrs
Median household income: $41,719
Median home value: $120,600
Median gross rent: $720
Housing units: 15,558
Homeownership rate: 66.7%
Bachelor's degree or higher: 19.8%
Unemployment rate: 5.2%

Trends

ACS 5-year · 2019–2023

Population

36,13136,755

Median household income

$39,005$41,719

Median home value

$92,500$120,600

Median gross rent

$604$720

Year	Population	Median household income	Median home value	Median gross rent
2019	36,131	$39,005	$92,500	$604
2020	36,252	$39,258	$104,200	$610
2021	36,578	$41,817	$110,700	$648
2022	36,648	$44,332	$114,300	$692
2023	36,755	$41,719	$120,600	$720

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

Age distribution

Under 57.0%

5 to 1719.0%

18 to 2411.0%

25 to 3412.4%

35 to 4411.5%

45 to 5411.4%

55 to 6411.9%

65 to 749.4%

75 and over6.3%

	Count	Share
Under 5	2,581	7.0%
5 to 17	6,997	19.0%
18 to 24	4,059	11.0%
25 to 34	4,559	12.4%
35 to 44	4,212	11.5%
45 to 54	4,192	11.4%
55 to 64	4,376	11.9%
65 to 74	3,451	9.4%
75 and over	2,328	6.3%

Race & ethnicity

	Count	Share
White (non-Hispanic)	34,857	94.8%
Black or African American	390	1.1%
American Indian & Alaska Native	30	0.1%
Asian	66	0.2%
Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander	0	0.0%
Some other race	57	0.2%
Two or more races	643	1.7%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	712	1.9%

Educational attainment (age 25+)

No high school diploma16.9%

High school graduate39.6%

Some college or associate's23.7%

Bachelor's degree9.5%

Graduate or professional degree10.3%

	Count	Share
No high school diploma	3,906	16.9%
High school graduate	9,145	39.6%
Some college or associate's	5,487	23.7%
Bachelor's degree	2,195	9.5%
Graduate or professional degree	2,385	10.3%

Commute to work

Mean travel time to work: 23 min

Drove alone75.6%

Carpooled13.5%

Public transit0.2%

Walked2.4%

Bicycle0.2%

Worked from home7.8%

Other means0.3%

How workers get to work

	Count	Share
Drove alone	10,071	75.6%
Carpooled	1,793	13.5%
Public transit	22	0.2%
Walked	314	2.4%
Bicycle	25	0.2%
Worked from home	1,042	7.8%
Other means	46	0.3%

Travel time

	Count	Share
Under 15 min	4,186	34.1%
15 to 29 min	4,550	37.1%
30 to 44 min	2,313	18.8%
45 to 59 min	362	3.0%
60+ min	860	7.0%

Households

Average household size: 2.58
Poverty rate: 25.1% (8,772 of 35,013)

	Count	Share
Family households	9,062	66.8%
Nonfamily households	4,508	33.2%

Housing

Median year structure built: 1985

Occupancy

	Count	Share
Occupied	13,570	87.2%
Vacant	1,988	12.8%

Tenure (of occupied units)

	Count	Share
Owner-occupied	9,055	66.7%
Renter-occupied	4,515	33.3%

1-unit, detached64.0%

1-unit, attached0.7%

2 to 4 units6.5%

5 to 19 units4.1%

20 or more units1.0%

Mobile home & other23.6%

Units in structure

	Count	Share
1-unit, detached	9,964	64.0%
1-unit, attached	108	0.7%
2 to 4 units	1,013	6.5%
5 to 19 units	645	4.1%
20 or more units	157	1.0%
Mobile home & other	3,671	23.6%

Geography

County GEOID: 21235
State: Kentucky
Land area: 438 sq mi
Water area: 7.2 sq mi
Center point: 36.7580, -84.1446

Cities & places

Compare with nearby counties

Other counties in Kentucky

119