Harlan County, KY

County

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2021 Population

26,921

2.33% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

0.726% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

33.6%

1.92% 1-year decrease

2021 Median Household Income

$30,210

6.9% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$65,000

1.4% 1-year growth

2021 Employed Population

6,983

2.63% 1-year growth

About

In 2021, Harlan County, KY had a population of 26.9k people with a median age of 41 and a median household income of $30,210. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Harlan County, KY grew from 26,307 to 26,921, a 2.33% increase and its median household income grew from $28,261 to $30,210, a 6.9% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Harlan County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (94.5%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.24%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.17%), White (Hispanic) (0.438%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.383%).

None of the households in Harlan 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.

99.9% of the residents in Harlan County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Harlan County, KY are Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College (694 degrees awarded in 2021).

In 2021, the median property value in Harlan County, KY was $65,000, and the homeownership rate was 68.4%.

Most people in Harlan County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.8 minutes. The average car ownership in Harlan County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Harlan County, KY borders Bell County, KY, Leslie County, KY, Letcher County, KY, Perry County, KY, Lee County, VA, and Wise County, VA.

United States Kentucky

Population & Diversity

Harlan County, KY is home to a population of 26.9k people, from which 99.9% are citizens. As of 2021, 0.368% of Harlan County, KY residents were born outside of the country (99 people).

In 2021, there were 42.1 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (25.4k people) in Harlan County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 604 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 585 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.9%

2021 Citizenship

99.7%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 99.9% of Harlan County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Harlan County, KY was 99.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Harlan County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
25.4k ± 113
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
604 ± 128
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
585 ± 146

0.453%

Hispanic Population

122 people

0.453% of the people in Harlan County, KY are hispanic (122 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Harlan 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
29,505 ± 4,203 people
Cuba
14,201 ± 2,921 people
India
12,469 ± 2,738 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 29,505 Kentucky residents, followed by Cuba with 14,201 and India with 12,469.

Foreign-Born Population

0.368%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

99 people

0.601%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

158 people

As of 2021, 0.368% of Harlan County, KY residents (99 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Harlan County, KY was 0.601%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
458 ± 133
Gulf War (2001-)
219 ± 108
Gulf War (1990s)
165 ± 73

Harlan County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.09 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Harlan County, KY employs 6.98k people. The largest industries in Harlan County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,209 people), Retail Trade (958 people), and Educational Services (783 people), and the highest paying industries are Finance & Insurance ($80,875), Information ($68,621), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($60,625).

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $48,114. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.453, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

6.98k

2021 Value

± 517

2.63%

1 Year growth

± 10.1%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Harlan County, KY grew at a rate of 2.63%, from 6.8k employees to 6.98k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Harlan County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (894 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (712 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (679 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Harlan County, KY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

6.98k

2021 Value

± 517

2.63%

1 Year growth

± 10.1%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Harlan County, KY grew at a rate of 2.63%, from 6.8k employees to 6.98k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Harlan County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,209 people), Retail Trade (958 people), and Educational Services (783 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Harlan County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Harlan County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$33,638

Median earning men ± $4,092

$25,081

Median earning women ± $3,327

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Information ($68,966), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($57,250), and Wholesale Trade ($55,000).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($39,091), Construction ($31,389), and Other Services Except Public Administration ($31,250).

Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

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

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

181
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
125
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
107
Retail Trade

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$92.3k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$35.4k
Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting, and Mining
$21.9k
Retail Trade

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $57.5B, followed by Electronics ($36.5B) and Machinery ($28.4B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Kentucky products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky.

$330B

2020 Value in Kentucky

$644B

Projected 2050 Value in Kentucky

95% growth

In 2020, total outbound Kentucky trade was $330B. This is expected to increase 95% to $644B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Kentucky trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Most Common Trade Partners

Tennessee
$27.7B
California
$19B
Ohio
$17.7B

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Tennessee with $27.7B, followed by California with $19B and Ohio and $17.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Kentucky shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Harlan County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 85.4% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (13.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.738%).

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 (85.4%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (13.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.738%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Harlan 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 2021, universities in Harlan County, KY awarded 694 degrees. The student population of Harlan County, KY in 2021 is skewed towards women, with 2,110 male students and 2,874 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Harlan County, KY are White (650 and 93.7%), followed by Black or African American (16 and 2.31%), Unknown (14 and 2.02%), and Two or More Races (7 and 1.01%).

The largest universities in Harlan County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College (694 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Harlan County, KY are Liberal Arts & Sciences (201 and 29%), Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (92 and 13.3%), and Medical Assistant (75 and 10.8%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2021 there were 4,984 students enrolled in Harlan County, KY, 42.3% men and 57.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,508 records, of which 58.9% were women and 41.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Respiratory Care Therapist
15 degree-majors awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
201 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
43 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Harlan County, KY was Respiratory Care Therapist with 15 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

694 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College with 694 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2021, 258 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Harlan County, KY, which is 0.592 times less than the 436 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 650 degrees mean that there were 40.6 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

Public, 2-year ($4,296) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($192) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Public, 2-year ($1,026) 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 2021, 0.789% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.712% 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 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.17M), Some college (777k), and Secondary Education (561k).

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 Harlan County, KY was $65,000 in 2021, which is 0.265 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $64,100 to $65,000, a 1.4% increase. The homeownership rate in Harlan County, KY is 68.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Harlan County, KY have an average commute time of 23.8 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Harlan County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Harlan County, KY is $30,210. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Harlan County, KY was Census Tract 9701 with a value of $37,857, followed by Census Tract 9704 and Census Tract 9708, with respective values of $34,081 and $31,603.

In 2022, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Harlan County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.0238%.

Housing

Property

$65,000

Median Property Value 2021

±$4,144

$7,089

Median Property Taxes

±$519

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

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

Rent vs Own

68.4%

Homeownership

2021

65%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 68.4% of the housing units in Harlan County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.4%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Harlan 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 9701
Census Tract 9704
Census Tract 9708

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Harlan County, KY was Census Tract 9701 with a value of $37,857, followed by Census Tract 9704 and Census Tract 9708, with respective values of $34,081 and $31,603.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Harlan 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.

$30,210

Median Household Income

± $2,263

10.4k

Number of Households

± 629

In 2021, the median household income of the 10.4k households in Harlan County, KY grew to $30,210 from the previous year's value of $28,261.

The following chart displays the households in Harlan 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 Harlan County, KY is from Kentucky.

0.453

2021 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.454

2020 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2021, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.453 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.236% decline from 2020 to 2021, 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 2021

Drove Alone (75.7%)
Carpooled (16.9%)
Worked At Home (3.95%)

In 2021, 75.7% of workers in Harlan County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (16.9%) and those who worked at home (3.95%).

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

23.8 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Harlan County, KY have a shorter commute time (23.8 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 2.91% of the workforce in Harlan County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 13.8% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Harlan County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 0.0238%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

33.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Harlan County, KY (8.84k out of 26.3k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Females 35 - 44.

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

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 2022, 36.5% of the children was living in poverty in Harlan County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 2.3%.

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.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 61 in Harlan County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 45.1 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

94.6% of the population of Harlan County, KY has health coverage, with 23.2% on employee plans, 44.9% on Medicaid, 17.4% on Medicare, 7.03% on non-group plans, and 2.03% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Kentucky was $8,004 in 2014. This is a 6.11% increase from the previous year ($7,543).

Primary care physicians in Harlan County, KY see 3251 patients per year on average, which represents a 13.8% decrease from the previous year (3773 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2841 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2130 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

3,251 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Harlan County, KY

Primary care physicians in Harlan County, KY see an average of 3,251 patients per year. This represents a 13.8% decrease from the previous year (3,773 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.9% under 18 years, 17.8% between 18 and 34 years, 39.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.3% were men and 51.7% were women.

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

Uninsured People

5.37%

Uninsured

23.2%

Employer Coverage

44.9%

Medicaid

17.4%

Medicare

7.03%

Non-Group

2.03%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Harlan County, KY grew by 7.14% from 5.01% to 5.37%.

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

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 62.5 in Harlan County, KY.

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

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, 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 44.4% in Harlan County, KY.

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

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