Whitley County, KY

County

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2023 Population

36,755

0.292% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

35.4

1.94% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

25.1%

6.66% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$41,719

5.89% 1-year decline

2023 Median Property Value

$120,600

5.51% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

13,576

2.49% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Whitley County, KY had a population of 36.8k people with a median age of 35.4 and a median household income of $41,719. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Whitley County, KY grew from 36,648 to 36,755, a 0.292% increase and its median household income declined from $44,332 to $41,719, a −5.89% decrease.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Whitley County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (94.8%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.75%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.06%), White (Hispanic) (0.944%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.642%).

None of the households in Whitley 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.

99.5% of the residents in Whitley County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Whitley County, KY are University of the Cumberlands (6,956 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Whitley County, KY was $120,600, and the homeownership rate was 66.7%.

Most people in Whitley County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Whitley County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Whitley County, KY borders Bell County, KY, Knox County, KY, Laurel County, KY, McCreary County, KY, Campbell County, TN, and Claiborne County, TN.

United States Kentucky London, KY

Population & Diversity

Whitley County, KY is home to a population of 36.8k people, from which 99.5% are citizens. As of 2023, 0.71% of Whitley County, KY residents were born outside of the country (261 people).

In 2023, there were 54.2 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (34.9k people) in Whitley County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 643 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 390 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.5%

2023 Citizenship

99.6%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.5% of Whitley County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Whitley County, KY was 99.6%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Whitley County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
34.9k ± 191
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
643 ± 165
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
390 ± 87

1.94%

Hispanic Population

712 people

1.94% of the people in Whitley County, KY are hispanic (712 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Whitley 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

0.71%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

261 people

0.636%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

233 people

As of 2023, 0.71% of Whitley County, KY residents (261 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 Whitley County, KY was 0.636%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
468 ± 167
Gulf War (2001-)
356 ± 190
Gulf War (1990s)
275 ± 118

Whitley County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.31 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Whitley County, KY employs 13.6k people. The largest industries in Whitley County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,982 people), Educational Services (1,911 people), and Retail Trade (1,790 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($80,156), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,023), and Transportation & Warehousing ($58,750).

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

13.6k

2023 Value

± 929

2.49%

1 Year growth

± 9.46%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Whitley County, KY grew at a rate of 2.49%, from 13.2k employees to 13.6k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Whitley County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,443 people), Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,191 people), and Food Preparation & Serving Related Occupations (1,191 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Whitley 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

13.6k

2023 Value

± 929

2.49%

1 Year growth

± 9.46%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Whitley County, KY grew at a rate of 2.49%, from 13.2k employees to 13.6k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Whitley County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,982 people), Educational Services (1,911 people), and Retail Trade (1,790 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Whitley County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Whitley County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$37,602

Median earning men ± $4,879

$26,869

Median earning women ± $2,531

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($88,243), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($60,069), and Public Administration ($59,722).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($40,038), Public Administration ($38,977), and Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($35,544).

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

56
Retail Trade
45
Health Care and Social Assistance
43
Other Services (except Public Administration)

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

$159k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$52.5k
Educational Services
$46.7k
Manufacturing

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Whitley County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 81.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (16.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.15%).

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 (81.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (16.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.15%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Whitley 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 Whitley County, KY awarded 6,956 degrees. The student population of Whitley County, KY in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 8,231 male students and 9,822 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Whitley County, KY are Unknown (3,744 and 77.5%), followed by White (740 and 15.3%), Hispanic or Latino (223 and 4.62%), and Asian (75 and 1.55%).

The largest universities in Whitley County, KY by number of degrees awarded are University of the Cumberlands (6,956 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Whitley County, KY are Information Technology (1,253 and 18%), Other Educational Administration & Supervision (572 and 8.22%), and Computer & Information Systems Security (564 and 8.11%).

The median tuition cost in Whitley County, KY for private four year colleges is $9,875.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Whitley County, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 83%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33.3%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 18,053 (45.6% men and 54.4% 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 18,053 students enrolled in Whitley County, KY, 45.6% men and 54.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Unknown with 8,305 records, of which 61.7% were women and 38.3% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Computer & Information Systems Security
564 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
491 degrees awarded
Information Technology
1,198 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Whitley County, KY was Computer & Information Systems Security with 564 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

University of the Cumberlands

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

6,956 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of the Cumberlands with 6,956 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 3,308 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Whitley County, KY, which is 0.907 times less than the 3,648 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Unknown students. These 3,744 degrees mean that there were 5.06 times more degrees awarded to Unknown students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 740 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

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($9,875) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

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 Whitley County, KY was $120,600 in 2023, which is 0.397 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $114,300 to $120,600, a 5.51% increase. The homeownership rate in Whitley County, KY is 66.7%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Whitley County, KY have an average commute time of 22.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Whitley County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Whitley County, KY is $41,719. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Whitley County, KY was Census Tract 9202 with a value of $51,516, followed by Census Tract 9201 and Census Tract 9207, with respective values of $50,873 and $46,341.

In 2023, 13% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whitley County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.8%.

Housing

Property

$120,600

Median Property Value 2023

±$8,871

$9,055

Median Property Taxes

±$744

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 Whitley County, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

66.7%

Homeownership

2023

62.8%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 66.7% of the housing units in Whitley County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Whitley 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 9202
Census Tract 9201
Census Tract 9207

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Whitley County, KY was Census Tract 9202 with a value of $51,516, followed by Census Tract 9201 and Census Tract 9207, with respective values of $50,873 and $46,341.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Whitley 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.

$41,719

Median Household Income

± $4,416

13.6k

Number of Households

± 921

In 2023, the median household income of the 13.6k households in Whitley County, KY declined from $41,719 from the previous year's value of $44,332.

The following chart displays the households in Whitley 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 Whitley 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 (75.6%)
Carpooled (13.5%)
Worked At Home (7.83%)

In 2023, 75.6% of workers in Whitley County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (13.5%) and those who worked at home (7.83%).

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

22.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Whitley County, KY have a shorter commute time (22.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.01% of the workforce in Whitley County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Whitley 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 Whitley County, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Whitley County, KY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 13% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whitley County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 2.8%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

25.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Whitley County, KY (8.77k out of 35k 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 25 - 34, followed by Females 6 - 11 and then Males 65 - 74.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Whitley County, KY is White, followed by Other 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, 33.5% of the children was living in poverty in Whitley County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 9.2%.

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

92.3% of the population of Whitley County, KY has health coverage, with 33% on employee plans, 36.3% on Medicaid, 12.2% on Medicare, 9.12% on non-group plans, and 1.76% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Whitley County, KY see 1072 patients per year on average, which represents a 8.38% decrease from the previous year (1170 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1421 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 61 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,072 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Whitley County, KY

Primary care physicians in Whitley County, KY see an average of 1,072 patients per year. This represents a 8.38% decrease from the previous year (1,170 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 27.7% under 18 years, 22.2% between 18 and 34 years, 34.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.4% were men and 52.6% were women.

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

Uninsured People

7.67%

Uninsured

33%

Employer Coverage

36.3%

Medicaid

12.2%

Medicare

9.12%

Non-Group

1.76%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Whitley County, KY declined by 4.12% from 8% to 7.67%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Whitley 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 65.6 in Whitley County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whitley 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 36.1% in Whitley County, KY.

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