Harlan County, KY

County

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2023 Population

26,185

1.52% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

41.2

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

27.2%

9.28% 1-year decrease

2023 Median Household Income

$37,198

5.89% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$73,100

2.52% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

7,412

0.683% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Harlan County, KY had a population of 26.2k people with a median age of 41.2 and a median household income of $37,198. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Harlan County, KY declined from 26,589 to 26,185, a −1.52% decrease and its median household income grew from $35,128 to $37,198, a 5.89% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Harlan County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (94.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.54%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (1.48%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.241%), and Other (Non-Hispanic) (0.214%).

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 (953 degrees awarded in 2022).

In 2023, the median property value in Harlan County, KY was $73,100, and the homeownership rate was 70.8%.

Most people in Harlan County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.5 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 26.2k people, from which 99.9% are citizens. As of 2023, 0.225% of Harlan County, KY residents were born outside of the country (59 people).

In 2023, there were 26.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (24.7k people) in Harlan County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 926 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 387 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.9%

2023 Citizenship

99.9%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 99.9% of Harlan County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Harlan County, KY was 99.9%, 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)
24.7k ± 122
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
926 ± 165
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
387 ± 108

0.153%

Hispanic Population

40 people

0.153% of the people in Harlan County, KY are hispanic (40 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
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

0.225%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

59 people

0.429%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

114 people

As of 2023, 0.225% of Harlan County, KY residents (59 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 Harlan County, KY was 0.429%, 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
494 ± 140
Gulf War (2001-)
414 ± 146
Gulf War (1990s)
168 ± 87

Harlan County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.19 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Harlan County, KY employs 7.41k people. The largest industries in Harlan County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,536 people), Retail Trade (1,034 people), and Educational Services (891 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($77,839), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($73,000), and Finance & Insurance ($70,833).

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

7.41k

2023 Value

± 601

−0.683%

1 Year decline

± 11.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Harlan County, KY declined at a rate of −0.683%, from 7.46k employees to 7.41k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Harlan County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,039 people), Sales & Related Occupations (661 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (651 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 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

7.41k

2023 Value

± 601

−0.683%

1 Year decline

± 11.4%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Harlan County, KY declined at a rate of −0.683%, from 7.46k employees to 7.41k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Harlan County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,536 people), Retail Trade (1,034 people), and Educational Services (891 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

$40,806

Median earning men ± $4,252

$31,188

Median earning women ± $3,169

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Information ($78,568), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($70,208), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($59,375).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Other Services Except Public Administration ($46,103), Educational Services, & Health Care & Social Assistance ($40,140), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($37,734).

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

33
Other Services (except Public Administration)
33
Retail Trade
28
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

$63.9k
Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
$53.4k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$24.6k
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 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 2022, universities in Harlan County, KY awarded 953 degrees. The student population of Harlan County, KY in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 1,022 male students and 1,603 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Harlan County, KY are White (895 and 93.9%), followed by Unknown (20 and 2.1%), Two or More Races (16 and 1.68%), and Black or African American (15 and 1.57%).

The largest universities in Harlan County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College (953 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Harlan County, KY are Liberal Arts & Sciences (202 and 21.2%), Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (108 and 11.3%), and Welding Technology (95 and 9.97%).

Admissions & Enrollments

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 2,625 students enrolled in Harlan County, KY, 38.9% men and 61.1% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 2,399 records, of which 61.6% were women and 38.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Respiratory Care Therapist
23 degrees awarded
Liberal Arts & Sciences
202 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
70 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Harlan County, KY was Respiratory Care Therapist with 23 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

953 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southeast Kentucky Community & Technical College with 953 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 435 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Harlan County, KY, which is 0.84 times less than the 518 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 895 degrees mean that there were 44.8 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 20 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 ($4,368) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($192) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 2-year ($1,078) 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 Harlan County, KY was $73,100 in 2023, which is 0.241 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $71,300 to $73,100, a 2.52% increase. The homeownership rate in Harlan County, KY is 70.8%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Harlan County, KY have an average commute time of 23.5 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 $37,198. In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Harlan County, KY was Census Tract 9708 with a value of $56,250, followed by Census Tract 9704 and Census Tract 9705, with respective values of $50,950 and $43,750.

In 2023, 14.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Harlan County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.704%.

Housing

Property

$73,100

Median Property Value 2023

±$4,727

$7,437

Median Property Taxes

±$536

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

70.8%

Homeownership

2023

66.1%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 70.8% of the housing units in Harlan County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 68.9%.

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 9708
Census Tract 9704
Census Tract 9705

In 2023, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Harlan County, KY was Census Tract 9708 with a value of $56,250, followed by Census Tract 9704 and Census Tract 9705, with respective values of $50,950 and $43,750.

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.

$37,198

Median Household Income

± $3,833

10.5k

Number of Households

± 690

In 2023, the median household income of the 10.5k households in Harlan County, KY grew to $37,198 from the previous year's value of $35,128.

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.

0.452

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 (74.9%)
Carpooled (16.7%)
Worked At Home (5.72%)

In 2023, 74.9% of workers in Harlan County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (16.7%) and those who worked at home (5.72%).

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

23.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Harlan County, KY have a shorter commute time (23.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 3.22% 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 2023, 14.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Harlan County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 0.704%.

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

Poverty & Diversity

27.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Harlan County, KY (6.93k out of 25.4k 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 55 - 64, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Females 25 - 34.

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

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, 43.8% of the children was living in poverty in Harlan County, KY. From 2014 to 2023, the indicator grew 5%.

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

95.3% of the population of Harlan County, KY has health coverage, with 25.6% on employee plans, 41.4% on Medicaid, 17.2% on Medicare, 8.95% on non-group plans, and 2.1% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Harlan County, KY see 2841 patients per year on average, which represents a 12.6% decrease from the previous year (3251 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2907 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 2379 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,841 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Harlan County, KY

Primary care physicians in Harlan County, KY see an average of 2,841 patients per year. This represents a 12.6% decrease from the previous year (3,251 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 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 24.9% under 18 years, 17.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38.5% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.5% were men and 51.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

4.7%

Uninsured

25.6%

Employer Coverage

41.4%

Medicaid

17.2%

Medicare

8.95%

Non-Group

2.1%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Harlan County, KY declined by 4.88% from 4.94% to 4.7%.

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 2023, 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.

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 45.3% in Harlan County, KY.

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