Carter County, KY

County

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2023 Population

26,515

0.585% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

41.8

0.239% 1-year decrease

2023 Poverty Rate

19.6%

18.1% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$50,389

7.2% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$126,100

3.11% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

9,799

6.78% 1-year growth

About

In 2023, Carter County, KY had a population of 26.5k people with a median age of 41.8 and a median household income of $50,389. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Carter County, KY declined from 26,671 to 26,515, a −0.585% decrease and its median household income grew from $47,004 to $50,389, a 7.2% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Carter County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (95.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.06%), White (Hispanic) (0.388%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.321%), and Other (Hispanic) (0.317%).

None of the households in Carter 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.

99.3% of the residents in Carter County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Carter County, KY are Kentucky Christian University (133 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Carter County, KY was $126,100, and the homeownership rate was 78.4%.

Most people in Carter County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 28.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Carter County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Carter County, KY borders Boyd County, KY, Elliott County, KY, Greenup County, KY, Lawrence County, KY, Lewis County, KY, and Rowan County, KY.

United States Kentucky

Population & Diversity

Carter County, KY is home to a population of 26.5k people, from which 99.3% are citizens. As of 2023, 0.947% of Carter County, KY residents were born outside of the country (251 people).

In 2023, there were 31.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (25.3k people) in Carter County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 811 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 103 White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.3%

2023 Citizenship

99.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.3% of Carter County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Carter County, KY was 99.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Carter County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
25.3k ± 241
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
811 ± 258
White (Hispanic)
103 ± 100

1.09%

Hispanic Population

289 people

1.09% of the people in Carter County, KY are hispanic (289 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Carter 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

0.947%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

251 people

0.971%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

259 people

As of 2023, 0.947% of Carter County, KY residents (251 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 Carter County, KY was 0.971%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
639 ± 180
Gulf War (2001-)
223 ± 97
Gulf War (1990s)
221 ± 117

Carter County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.87 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Carter County, KY employs 9.8k people. The largest industries in Carter County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,766 people), Educational Services (1,211 people), and Retail Trade (1,112 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($85,689), Utilities ($75,909), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($69,120).

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

9.8k

2023 Value

± 773

6.78%

1 Year growth

± 10.7%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Carter County, KY grew at a rate of 6.78%, from 9.18k employees to 9.8k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Carter County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,089 people), Production Occupations (851 people), and Management Occupations (803 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Carter 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

9.8k

2023 Value

± 773

6.78%

1 Year growth

± 10.7%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Carter County, KY grew at a rate of 6.78%, from 9.18k employees to 9.8k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Carter County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,766 people), Educational Services (1,211 people), and Retail Trade (1,112 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Carter County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Carter County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$43,373

Median earning men ± $6,592

$27,009

Median earning women ± $3,499

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Wholesale Trade ($133,750), Information ($86,352), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($70,288).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($65,901), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($54,375), and Public Administration ($50,075).

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

36
Retail Trade
36
Retail Trade
34
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

$40.1k
Manufacturing
$25k
Retail Trade
$23.8k
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Carter County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 75.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.924%).

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 (75.7%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.8%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.924%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Carter 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 Carter County, KY awarded 133 degrees. The student population of Carter County, KY in 2022 is skewed towards men, with 388 male students and 241 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Carter County, KY are White (93 and 73.8%), followed by Black or African American (16 and 12.7%), Unknown (8 and 6.35%), and Hispanic or Latino (7 and 5.56%).

The largest universities in Carter County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Kentucky Christian University (133 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Carter County, KY are General Business Administration & Management (37 and 27.8%), Nursing Administration (20 and 15%), and Biblical Studies (16 and 12%).

The median tuition cost in Carter County, KY for private four year colleges is $23,100.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Carter County, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 44.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 42.4%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 629 (61.7% men and 38.3% 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 629 students enrolled in Carter County, KY, 61.7% men and 38.3% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 317 records, of which 46.1% were women and 53.9% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
37 degrees awarded
Biblical Studies
13 degrees awarded
Elementary Education & Teaching
12 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Carter County, KY was General Business Administration & Management with 37 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Kentucky Christian University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

133 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kentucky Christian University with 133 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 68 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Carter County, KY, which is 1.05 times more than the 65 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 93 degrees mean that there were 5.81 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 16 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 ($23,100) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($600) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,200) 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 Carter County, KY was $126,100 in 2023, which is 0.416 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $122,300 to $126,100, a 3.11% increase. The homeownership rate in Carter County, KY is 78.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Carter County, KY have an average commute time of 28.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Carter County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Carter County, KY is $50,389. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Carter County, KY was Census Tract 9603 with a value of $73,087, followed by Census Tract 9604 and Census Tract 9602, with respective values of $60,521 and $54,913.

In 2023, 12.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Carter County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.677%.

Housing

Property

$126,100

Median Property Value 2023

±$12,486

$8,136

Median Property Taxes

±$604

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

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

Rent vs Own

78.4%

Homeownership

2023

68.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 78.4% of the housing units in Carter County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 79.5%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Carter 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 9603
Census Tract 9604
Census Tract 9602

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Carter County, KY was Census Tract 9603 with a value of $73,087, followed by Census Tract 9604 and Census Tract 9602, with respective values of $60,521 and $54,913.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Carter 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.

$50,389

Median Household Income

± $3,770

10.4k

Number of Households

± 759

In 2023, the median household income of the 10.4k households in Carter County, KY grew to $50,389 from the previous year's value of $47,004.

The following chart displays the households in Carter 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 Carter 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 (81%)
Carpooled (12.1%)
Walked (3.82%)

In 2023, 81% of workers in Carter County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (12.1%) and those who walked to work (3.82%).

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

28.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Carter County, KY have a longer commute time (28.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 4.88% of the workforce in Carter County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2023, 12.1% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Carter County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.677%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

19.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Carter County, KY (5.06k out of 25.9k 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 55 - 64 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Carter 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, 29.6% of the children was living in poverty in Carter County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator declined 4.6%.

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

91.6% of the population of Carter County, KY has health coverage, with 36.7% on employee plans, 26.1% on Medicaid, 16.4% on Medicare, 10.6% on non-group plans, and 1.8% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Carter County, KY see 5308 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.952% decrease from the previous year (5359 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 6603 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 480 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

5,308 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Carter County, KY

Primary care physicians in Carter County, KY see an average of 5,308 patients per year. This represents a 0.952% decrease from the previous year (5,359 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.4% under 18 years, 18% between 18 and 34 years, 37.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 19.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.3% were men and 50.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.35%

Uninsured

36.7%

Employer Coverage

26.1%

Medicaid

16.4%

Medicare

10.6%

Non-Group

1.8%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Carter County, KY declined by 13.4% from 9.65% to 8.35%.

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

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Carter 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 39.9% in Carter County, KY.

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