Rowan County, KY

County

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2023 Population

24,525

0.106% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

31.2

1.96% 1-year increase

2023 Poverty Rate

24.5%

0.272% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$53,657

7.23% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$155,900

4% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

11,203

2.48% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Rowan County, KY had a population of 24.5k people with a median age of 31.2 and a median household income of $53,657. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Rowan County, KY declined from 24,551 to 24,525, a −0.106% decrease and its median household income grew from $50,038 to $53,657, a 7.23% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Rowan County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (93.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.84%), White (Hispanic) (1.45%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.18%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.893%).

None of the households in Rowan County, KY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

98.7% of the residents in Rowan County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Rowan County, KY are Morehead State University (1,532 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Rowan County, KY was $155,900, and the homeownership rate was 63.1%.

Most people in Rowan County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Rowan County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Rowan County, KY borders Bath County, KY, Carter County, KY, Elliott County, KY, Fleming County, KY, Lewis County, KY, Menifee County, KY, and Morgan County, KY.

United States Kentucky

Population & Diversity

Rowan County, KY is home to a population of 24.5k people, from which 98.7% are citizens. As of 2023, 2.25% of Rowan County, KY residents were born outside of the country (551 people).

In 2023, there were 51 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (23k people) in Rowan County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 451 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 356 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

98.7%

2023 Citizenship

98.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 98.7% of Rowan County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Rowan County, KY was 98.9%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Rowan County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Rowan County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
23k ± 12
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
451 ± 112
White (Hispanic)
356 ± 135

2.21%

Hispanic Population

543 people

2.21% of the people in Rowan County, KY are hispanic (543 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Rowan County, KY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
28,651 ± 4,142 people
Cuba
14,970 ± 2,999 people
India
12,312 ± 2,720 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 28,651 Kentucky residents, followed by Cuba with 14,970 and India with 12,312.

Foreign-Born Population

2.25%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

551 people

1.88%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

461 people

As of 2023, 2.25% of Rowan County, KY residents (551 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Rowan County, KY was 1.88%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Rowan County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
356 ± 131
Gulf War (2001-)
277 ± 156
Gulf War (1990s)
118 ± 73

Rowan County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.29 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Rowan County, KY employs 11.2k people. The largest industries in Rowan County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,249 people), Educational Services (2,196 people), and Retail Trade (1,276 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($74,896), Utilities ($67,192), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($65,972).

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.32 times higher than the average income of females, which is $52,220. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.452, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

11.2k

2023 Value

± 856

2.48%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Rowan County, KY grew at a rate of 2.48%, from 10.9k employees to 11.2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Rowan County, KY, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,352 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,009 people), and Production Occupations (893 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Rowan County, KY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kentucky (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

11.2k

2023 Value

± 856

2.48%

1 Year growth

± 10.9%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Rowan County, KY grew at a rate of 2.48%, from 10.9k employees to 11.2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Rowan County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (2,249 people), Educational Services (2,196 people), and Retail Trade (1,276 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Rowan County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Rowan County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$40,252

Median earning men ± $6,715

$27,917

Median earning women ± $2,937

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Construction ($70,149), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($65,913), and Public Administration ($51,625).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($90,750), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,893), and Manufacturing ($44,722).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Y-Axis

2.51%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.98M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 2.51% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kentucky.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

45
Retail Trade
36
Health Care and Social Assistance
31
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$111k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$48.1k
Manufacturing
$39.9k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Rowan County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 59.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (38.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.36%).

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (59.6%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (38.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.36%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Rowan County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 59.6% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (38.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.36%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Rowan County, KY for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Kentucky

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Mitch McConnell

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 1985

Rand Paul

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing Kentucky.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Kentucky over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Kentucky

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Kentucky have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Rowan County, KY awarded 1,532 degrees. The student population of Rowan County, KY in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 3,409 male students and 5,398 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Rowan County, KY are White (1,351 and 89.6%), followed by Black or African American (61 and 4.05%), Hispanic or Latino (42 and 2.79%), and Two or More Races (33 and 2.19%).

The largest universities in Rowan County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Morehead State University (1,532 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Rowan County, KY are General Studies (164 and 10.7%), Registered Nursing (123 and 8.03%), and General Business (67 and 4.37%).

The median tuition cost in Rowan County, KY for a public four year colleges is $9,240 for in-state students and $13,966 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Rowan County, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 84%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 18%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 8,807 (38.7% men and 61.3% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 8,807 students enrolled in Rowan County, KY, 38.7% men and 61.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 7,335 records, of which 61.7% were women and 38.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Studies
131 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
62 degrees awarded
Social Work
55 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Rowan County, KY was General Studies with 131 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Rowan County, KY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Morehead State University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,532 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Morehead State University with 1,532 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 545 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Rowan County, KY, which is 0.552 times less than the 987 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,351 degrees mean that there were 22.1 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 61 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Public, 4-year or above ($9,240) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($320) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,008) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Measure

In 2022, 0.821% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.756% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.17M), Some college (766k), and Secondary Education (551k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Rowan County, KY was $155,900 in 2023, which is 0.514 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $149,900 to $155,900, a 4% increase. The homeownership rate in Rowan County, KY is 63.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Rowan County, KY have an average commute time of 22.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Rowan County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2023, 14.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rowan County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.42%.

Housing

Property

$155,900

Median Property Value 2023

±$15,501

$5,895

Median Property Taxes

±$602

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Rowan County, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Rowan County, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

63.1%

Homeownership

2023

66.4%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 63.1% of the housing units in Rowan County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 61.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Rowan County, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9501
Census Tract 9504

The following map shows all of the tracts in Rowan County, KY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$53,657

Median Household Income

± $5,933

9.35k

Number of Households

± 836

In 2023, the median household income of the 9.35k households in Rowan County, KY grew to $53,657 from the previous year's value of $50,038.

The following chart displays the households in Rowan County, KY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Rowan County, KY is from Kentucky.

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.453

2021 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2022, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.452 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.286% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kentucky in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Kentucky across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (75.2%)
Carpooled (8.99%)
Worked At Home (7.32%)

In 2023, 75.2% of workers in Rowan County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.99%) and those who worked at home (7.32%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

22.9 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Rowan County, KY have a shorter commute time (22.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.1% of the workforce in Rowan County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Rowan County, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Rowan County, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Rowan County, KY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 14.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Rowan County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 1.42%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

24.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Rowan County, KY (5.31k out of 21.6k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Males 18 - 24 and then Females 25 - 34.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Rowan County, KY is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2023, 25.5% of the children was living in poverty in Rowan County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 7.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

94.3% of the population of Rowan County, KY has health coverage, with 45.3% on employee plans, 23.5% on Medicaid, 12% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 1.67% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Rowan County, KY see 1452 patients per year on average, which represents a 6.84% increase from the previous year (1359 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1657 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 183 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,452 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Rowan County, KY

Primary care physicians in Rowan County, KY see an average of 1,452 patients per year. This represents a 6.84% increase from the previous year (1,359 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Rowan County, KY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 23.1% under 18 years, 31.2% between 18 and 34 years, 31.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.1% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.2% were men and 52.8% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

5.74%

Uninsured

45.3%

Employer Coverage

23.5%

Medicaid

12%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

1.67%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Rowan County, KY grew by 9.84% from 5.23% to 5.74%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Rowan County, KY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2023, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was N/A in Rowan County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rowan County, KY.

Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 40.4% in Rowan County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rowan County, KY.

Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2023, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 7.29% in Rowan County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Rowan County, KY.

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