Harlan County, KY

County

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Population

27,134

1.5% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

Median Age

41.2

Poverty Rate

36.2%

Median Household Income

$26,324

7.66% 1-year growth

Median Property Value

$58,500

9.35% 1-year growth

Number of Employees

7,489

0.874% 1-year decline

About

In 2018, Harlan County, KY had a population of 27.1k people with a median age of 41.2 and a median household income of $26,324. Between 2017 and 2018 the population of Harlan County, KY declined from 27,548 to 27,134, a -1.5% decrease and its median household income grew from $24,451 to $26,324, a 7.66% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Harlan County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (95.1%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (2.52%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (0.936%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.405%), and White (Hispanic) (0.357%). NaNk% of the people in Harlan County, KY speak a non-English language, and 99.7% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Harlan County, KY are Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (1,005 degrees awarded in 2017).

The median property value in Harlan County, KY is $58,500, and the homeownership rate is 68.2%. Most people in Harlan County, KY commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 21.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Harlan County, KY is 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

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Kentucky. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Kentucky, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Impact on Employment

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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Community Mobility

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

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Kentucky across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Harlan County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 84.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (12.8%), followed by Other (2.38%). The most partisan county was Leslie County, KY with 89.4% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

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 Popular Vote Over Time

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

2016 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (84.9%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (12.8%)
Democratic Party
Other (2.38%)
Other Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 84.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (12.8%), followed by Other (2.38%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kentucky for each registered party from 1976 to 2016.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Presidential voting results are only available at the county level. Showing data for the counties inside of Kentucky.

Showing data up to the 2016 election. Updated election results are currently being processed, and will be released in the coming months.

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Harlan County, KY

84.9% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Kentucky

Leslie County, KY
89.4% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Jackson County, KY
88.9% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Martin County, KY
88.6% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2016 presidential election, the most partisan county in Kentucky was Leslie County, KY with 89.4% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Kentucky colored by their party leaning.

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 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.

Diversity

Harlan County, KY is home to a population of 27.1k people, from which 99.7% are citizens. As of 2018, 0.667% of Harlan County, KY residents were born outside of the country (181 people).

In 2018, there were 37.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (25.8k people) in Harlan County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 683 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 254 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Harlan County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
25.8k ± 20
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
683 ± 45
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
254 ± 44.9

0.91%

Hispanic Population

247 people

0.91% of the people in Harlan County, KY are hispanic (247 people).

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

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

0.667%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

181 people

0.686%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

189 people

As of 2018, 0.667% of Harlan County, KY residents (181 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2017, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Harlan County, KY was 0.686%, 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.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.4

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 9.8

In 2018, the median age of all people in Harlan County, KY was 41.2. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 41, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 36. But people in Harlan County, KY are getting getting younger. In 2017, the average age of all Harlan County, KY residents was 41.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
32,622 ± 4,418 people
India
10,932 ± 2,564 people
Cuba
8,780 ± 2,298 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 32,622 Kentucky residents, followed by India with 10,932 and Cuba with 8,780.

Citizenship

99.7%

2018 Citizenship

99.8%

2017 Citizenship

As of 2018, 99.7% of Harlan County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2017, the percentage of US citizens in Harlan County, KY was 99.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
577 ± 147
Gulf War (2001-)
178 ± 83
Gulf War (1990s)
153 ± 65

Harlan County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 3.24 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

Median household income in Harlan County, KY is $26,324. In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Harlan County, KY was Census Tract 9701 with a value of $40,926, followed by Census Tract 9706 and Census Tract 9708, with respective values of $39,237 and $30,885.

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $41,451. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.457, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Harlan County, KY employs 7.49k people. The largest industries in Harlan County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,535 people), Educational Services (964 people), and Retail Trade (866 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($51,429), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($49,154), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting ($45,347).

Wages

Median Household Income

$26,324

2018 value

± $1,943

7.66%

1 Year Growth

± 8.7%

Households in Harlan County, KY have a median annual income of $26,324, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $24,451 in 2017, which represents a 7.66% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Harlan County, KY compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

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

$56,557

Average Male Salary in Kentucky

± $1,518

$41,451

Average Female Salary in Kentucky

± $1,092

In 2017, full-time male employees in Kentucky made 1.36 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Kentucky by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Kentucky

Asian
$55,164 ± $10,370
White
$43,856 ± $923
American Indian
$34,557 ± $13,648

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Kentucky workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.26 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Kentucky.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Kentucky by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

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

0.457

2017 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.455

2016 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2017, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.457 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.329% growth from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.479. 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9701
Census Tract 9706
Census Tract 9708

In 2018, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Harlan County, KY was Census Tract 9701 with a value of $40,926, followed by Census Tract 9706 and Census Tract 9708, with respective values of $39,237 and $30,885.

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

Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

36.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Harlan County, KY (9.56k out of 26.4k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Males 6 - 11.

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.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

White
9,057 ± 475
Black
319 ± 109
Hispanic
120 ± 106

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

7.49k

2018 Value

± 501

-0.874%

1 Year decline

± 9.44%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Harlan County, KY declined at a rate of -0.874%, from 7.56k employees to 7.49k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Harlan County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (875 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (870 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (746 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Harlan County, KY.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Harlan County, KY, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (875 people), Construction & Extraction Occupations (870 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (746 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Harlan County, KY has an unusually high number of residents working as Health Technologists & Technicians (2.67 times higher than expected), Construction & Extraction Occupations (2.31 times), and Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (2.19 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Harlan County, KY, by median earnings, are Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($58,333), Life, Physical, & Social Science Occupations ($51,063), and Computer, Engineering, & Science Occupations ($50,521).

Industries

Employment by Industries

7.49k

2018 Value

± 501

-0.874%

1 Year decline

± 9.44%

From 2017 to 2018, employment in Harlan County, KY declined at a rate of -0.874%, from 7.56k employees to 7.49k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Harlan County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,535 people), Educational Services (964 people), and Retail Trade (866 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.

Most Common

The most common industries in Harlan County, KY, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,535 people), Educational Services (964 people), and Retail Trade (866 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Harlan County, KY has an unusually high number of Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (14.9 times higher than expected), Management of Companies & Enterprises (4.5 times), and Utilities (1.86 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Harlan County, KY, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($51,429), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($49,154), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting ($45,347).

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 2015, the top outbound Kentucky product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $71.4B, followed by Base metals ($17.1B) and Gasoline ($17.1B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky.

$282B

2015 Value in Kentucky

$398B

Projected 2045 Value in Kentucky

41.4% growth

In 2015, total outbound Kentucky trade was $282B. This is expected to increase 41.4% to $398B by 2045.

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

Ohio
$22.9B
Indiana
$19.1B
Tennessee
$16.7B

In 2015, the top outbound Kentucky domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Ohio with $22.9B, followed by Indiana with $19.1B and Tennessee and $16.7B.

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

Education

In 2017, universities in Harlan County, KY awarded 1,005 degrees. The student population of Harlan County, KY is skewed towards women, with 1,584 male students and 1,645 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Harlan County, KY are White (947 and 94.2%), followed by Black or African American (30 and 2.99%), Two or More Races (13 and 1.29%), and Unknown (8 and 0.796%).

The largest universities in Harlan County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College (1,005 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Harlan County, KY are Liberal Arts & Sciences (293 and 29.2%), Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training (111 and 11%), and HVAC Maintenance (63 and 6.27%).

The median tuition costs in Harlan County, KY are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Medical Administrative Assistant
39 degree-majorss awarded
Licensed Practical & Vocational Nurse Training
111 degree-majorss awarded
HVAC Maintenance
44 degree-majorss awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for < 1 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Harlan County, KY was Medical Administrative Assistant with 39 degree-majorss awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a < 1 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Harlan County, KY according to their major.

Universities

Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

1,005 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Harlan County, KY institution with the largest number of graduating students was Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College with 1,005 degrees awarded.

Student Gender for Common Institutions

486

Degrees Awarded to Men

519

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 486 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Harlan County, KY, which is 0.936 times less than the 519 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Harlan County, KY by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
947 degrees awarded
Black or African American
30 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
13 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Harlan County, KY were to White students. These 947 degrees mean that there were 31.6 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 30 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Harlan County, KY was $58,500 in 2018, which is 0.255 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2017 and 2018 the median property value increased from $53,500 to $58,500, a 9.35% increase. The homeownership rate in Harlan County, KY is 68.2%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Harlan County, KY have an average commute time of 21.1 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Harlan County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$58,500

2018 Median

± $4,016

$53,500

2017 Median

± $3,232

In 2018, the median property value in Harlan County, KY grew to to $58,500 from the previous year's value of $53,500.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Harlan County, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Harlan County, KY the largest share of households have a property value in the N/A range.

Household Income

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

$26,324

Median Household Income

± $1,943

11.2k

Number of Households

± 594

In 2018, the median household income of the 11.2k households in Harlan County, KY grew to $26,324 from the previous year's value of $24,451.

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.

Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Harlan County, KY 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.

Rent vs Own

68.2%

2018 Homeownership

68.4%

2017 Homeownership

In 2018, 68.2% of the housing units in Harlan County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.4%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Harlan County, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

21.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Harlan County, KY have a shorter commute time (21.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.3 minutes). Additionally, 1.8% 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.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

Drove Alone
80.7%
Carpooled
14.2%
Worked At Home
2.54%

In 2018, the most common method of travel for workers in Harlan County, KY was Drove Alone (80.7%), followed by those who Carpooled (14.2%) and those who Worked At Home (2.54%).

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.

Transportation

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, followed by 3 cars.

Health

93.6% of the population of Harlan County, KY has health coverage, with 25.6% on employee plans, 41.4% on Medicaid, 15.9% on Medicare, 8.48% on non-group plans, and 2.25% 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 2770 patients per year on average, which represents a 37.7% increase from the previous year (2012 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 3396 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 5434 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Harlan County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (18%). Additionally, Leslie County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (43.3%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

2,770 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Harlan County, KY

Primary care physicians in Harlan County, KY see an average of 2,770 patients per year. This represents a 37.7% increase from the previous year (2,012 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.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

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

$8,004

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Kentucky

$4,551

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$7,016

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$10,368

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Kentucky (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 6.11%, from $7,543 to $8,004.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

6.44%

Uninsured

25.6%

Employer Coverage

41.4%

Medicaid

15.9%

Medicare

8.48%

Non-Group

2.25%

Military or VA

Between 2017 and 2018, the percent of uninsured citizens in Harlan County, KY declined by 34% from 9.77% to 6.44%.

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.