Kentucky

State

Add Comparison

2019 Population

4.47M

0.0163% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2019 Median Age

39.2

0.256% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

17.3%

3.41% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$52,295

4.08% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$151,700

2.43% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

1.93M

0.453% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Kentucky had a population of 4.47M people with a median age of 39.2 and a median household income of $52,295. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Kentucky declined from 4.47M to 4.47M, a −0.0163% decrease and its median household income grew from $50,247 to $52,295, a 4.08% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Kentucky are White (Non-Hispanic) (84.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (8.01%), White (Hispanic) (2.48%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.01%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.62%). 6.04% of the households in Kentucky speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

97.5% of the residents in Kentucky are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Kentucky are University of Kentucky (8,401 degrees awarded in 2020), University of Louisville (5,324 degrees), and Western Kentucky University (4,803 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Kentucky was $151,700, and the homeownership rate was 67%. Most people in Kentucky drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 23.2 minutes. The average car ownership in Kentucky was 2 cars per household.

Kentucky borders Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Photo by Bill Brine

United States

Diversity

Kentucky is home to a population of 4.47M people, from which 97.5% are citizens. As of 2019, 3.85% of Kentucky residents were born outside of the country (172k people).

In 2019, there were 10.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (3.76M people) in Kentucky than any other race or ethnicity. There were 358k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 111k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common foreign languages spoken in Kentucky are Spanish (119,751 speakers), German (13,299 speakers), and Arabic (10,739 speakers).

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Kentucky

White (Non-Hispanic)
3.76M ± 1.85k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
358k ± 7.49k
White (Hispanic)
111k ± 5.49k

3.76%

Hispanic Population

168k people

3.76% of the people in Kentucky are hispanic (168k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Kentucky as a share of the total population.

Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

Spanish
119,751 speakers (2.85%)
German
13,299 speakers (0.317%)
Arabic
10,739 speakers (0.256%)

6.04% of Kentucky citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 22%.

In 2019, the most common non-English language spoken in Kentucky was Spanish. 2.85% of the overall population of Kentucky are native Spanish speakers. 0.317% speak German and 0.256% speak Arabic, the next two most common languages.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

3.85%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

172k people

3.74%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

167k people

As of 2019, 3.85% of Kentucky residents (172k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Kentucky was 3.74%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 0.9

In 2019, the median age of all people in Kentucky was 39.2. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 39, were generally older than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Kentucky are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Kentucky residents was 39.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Mexico
34,591 ± 4,549 people
India
18,181 ± 3,304 people
Cuba
16,465 ± 3,145 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 34,591 Kentucky residents, followed by India with 18,181 and Cuba with 16,465.

Citizenship

97.5%

2019 Citizenship

97.8%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 97.5% of Kentucky residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Kentucky was 97.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
89,479 ± 4,018
Gulf War (2001-)
48,758 ± 3,529
Gulf War (1990s)
40,475 ± 3,641

Kentucky has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.84 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

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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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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Employment by Industry Sector

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

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

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

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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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Economy

Median household income in Kentucky is $52,295. In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Kentucky was Oldham County, KY with a value of $97,968, followed by Boone County, KY and Kenton County, KY, with respective values of $76,443 and $68,849.

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $45,298. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.45, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Kentucky employs 1.93M people. The largest industries in Kentucky are Elementary & secondary schools (131,168 people), Restaurants & Food Services (122,789 people), and Construction (107,364 people), and the highest paying industries are Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($118,560), Pipeline transportation ($114,732), and Petroleum refining ($111,522).

Wages

Median Household Income

$52,295

2019 value

± $625

4.08%

1 Year Growth

± 1.58%

Households in Kentucky have a median annual income of $52,295, which is less than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $50,247 in 2018, which represents a 4.08% annual growth.

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

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

$60,281

Average Male Salary in Kentucky

± $1,617

$45,298

Average Female Salary in Kentucky

± $1,128

In 2019, full-time male employees in Kentucky made 1.33 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-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

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Kentucky

Asian
$69,853 ± $11,293
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
$51,002 ± $35,476
White
$46,683 ± $955

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Kentucky workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.37 times more than Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 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

0.45

2019 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.454

2018 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2019, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.45 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.957% decline from 2018 to 2019, 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.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Kentucky was Oldham County, KY with a value of $97,968, followed by Boone County, KY and Kenton County, KY, with respective values of $76,443 and $68,849.

The following map shows all of the counties in Kentucky colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

17.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Kentucky (747k out of 4.31M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

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
602,522 ± 5,497
Black
94,283 ± 2,243
Hispanic
41,964 ± 1,542

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

1.93M

2019 Value

0.453%

1 Year growth

± 0.453%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Kentucky grew at a rate of 0.453%, from 1.92M employees to 1.93M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Kentucky, are Registered nurses (52,547 people), Cashiers (47,694 people), and Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (44,933 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Kentucky.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Kentucky, by number of employees, are Registered nurses (52,547 people), Cashiers (47,694 people), and Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (44,933 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Kentucky has an unusually high number of residents working as Radiation therapists (5.44 times higher than expected), Print binding & finishing workers (4.41 times), and School bus monitors (3.86 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Kentucky, by average salary, are Surgeons ($393,182), Physicians ($276,729), and Dentists ($217,617).

Industries

Employment by Industries

1.93M

2019 Value

0.453%

1 Year growth

± 0.453%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Kentucky grew at a rate of 0.453%, from 1.92M employees to 1.93M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Kentucky, are Elementary & secondary schools (131,168 people), Restaurants & Food Services (122,789 people), and Construction (107,364 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Kentucky, though some of these residents may live in Kentucky and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Kentucky, by number of employees, are Elementary & secondary schools (131,168 people), Restaurants & Food Services (122,789 people), and Construction (107,364 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Kentucky has an unusually high number of Coal mining (9.34 times higher than expected), Aluminum production & processing (7.97 times), and Household appliance manufacturing (6.87 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Kentucky, by average salary, are Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($118,560), Pipeline transportation ($114,732), and Petroleum refining ($111,522).

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 $57B, followed by Electronics ($34.7B) and Machinery ($31.1B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky.

$326B

2020 Value in Kentucky

$644B

Projected 2050 Value in Kentucky

97.4% growth

In 2020, total outbound Kentucky trade was $326B. This is expected to increase 97.4% 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
$24.4B
Ohio
$18.8B
California
$17.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Tennessee with $24.4B, followed by Ohio with $18.8B and California and $17.9B.

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 Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 62.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.23%). The most partisan county was Leslie County, KY with 89.8% 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

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (62.1%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.2%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.23%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 62.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (36.2%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.23%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Kentucky for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Kentucky

62.1% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Kentucky

Leslie County, KY
89.8% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Jackson County, KY
89.2% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Martin County, KY
89% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Kentucky was Leslie County, KY with 89.8% 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

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.

Education

In 2020, universities in Kentucky awarded 89,048 degrees. The student population of Kentucky is skewed towards women, with 111,103 male students and 156,962 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Kentucky are White (67,230 and 81.1%), followed by Black or African American (5,543 and 6.69%), Unknown (3,065 and 3.7%), and Hispanic or Latino (3,045 and 3.67%).

The largest universities in Kentucky by number of degrees awarded are University of Kentucky (8,401 and 9.43%), University of Louisville (5,324 and 5.98%), and Western Kentucky University (4,803 and 5.39%).

The most popular majors in Kentucky are Liberal Arts & Sciences (5,647 and 6.34%), General Computer & Information Sciences (4,666 and 5.24%), and Registered Nursing (4,543 and 5.1%).

The median tuition costs in Kentucky are $25,170 for private four year colleges, and $9,589 and $19,605 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

Registered Nursing
2,363 degree-majorss awarded
General Psychology
1,316 degree-majorss awarded
General Business Administration & Management
992 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Kentucky was Registered Nursing with 2,363 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Kentucky
8,401 degrees awarded
University of Louisville
5,324 degrees awarded
Western Kentucky University
4,803 degrees awarded

$9,589

Median In-State Public

$25,170

Median Private

In 2020, the Kentucky institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Kentucky with 8,401 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

43,329

Degrees Awarded to Men

45,719

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 43,329 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Kentucky, which is 0.948 times less than the 45,719 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 institutions in Kentucky by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
67,230 degrees awarded
Black or African American
5,543 degrees awarded
Unknown
3,065 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Kentucky was White students. These 67,230 degrees mean that there were 12.1 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 5,543 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Kentucky was $151,700 in 2019, which is 0.631 times smaller than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $148,100 to $151,700, a 2.43% increase. The homeownership rate in Kentucky is 67%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Kentucky have an average commute time of 23.2 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Kentucky is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$151,700

2019 Median

± $1,390

$148,100

2018 Median

± $1,710

In 2019, the median property value in Kentucky grew to to $151,700 from the previous year's value of $148,100.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Kentucky 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 Kentucky the largest share of households have a property value in the $150k - $175k range.

Household Income

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

$52,295

Median Household Income

± $625

1.75M

Number of Households

± 21,403

In 2019, the median household income of the 1.75M households in Kentucky grew to $52,295 from the previous year's value of $50,247.

The following chart displays the households in Kentucky 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 $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Kentucky distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Kentucky the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

Rent vs Own

67%

2019 Homeownership

67.4%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 67% of the housing units in Kentucky were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 67.4%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Kentucky compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

23.2 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Kentucky have a shorter commute time (23.2 minutes) than the normal US worker (26 minutes). Additionally, 2.53% of the workforce in Kentucky have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Kentucky compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (82%)
Carpooled (9.04%)
Worked At Home (4.3%)

In 2019, 82% of workers in Kentucky drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.04%) and those who worked at home (4.3%).

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 Kentucky distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Kentucky have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

93.6% of the population of Kentucky has health coverage, with 45% on employee plans, 22.5% on Medicaid, 13.4% on Medicare, 10.7% on non-group plans, and 1.95% 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 Kentucky see 1543 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.31% increase from the previous year (1523 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1491 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 416 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Knott County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (21%). Additionally, Owsley County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (46.7%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,543 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Kentucky

Primary care physicians in Kentucky see an average of 1,543 patients per year. This represents a 1.31% increase from the previous year (1,523 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Kentucky 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

45%

Employer Coverage

22.5%

Medicaid

13.4%

Medicare

10.7%

Non-Group

1.95%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Kentucky grew by 14.2% from 5.64% to 6.44%.

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