Lee County, KY

County

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2019 Population

6,881

1.93% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2019 Median Age

43.6

1.13% 1-year decrease

2019 Poverty Rate

34.6%

3.14% 1-year increase

2019 Median Household Income

$25,275

5.44% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$63,000

3.08% 1-year decline

2019 Employed Population

2,002

8.92% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Lee County, KY had a population of 6.88k people with a median age of 43.6 and a median household income of $25,275. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Lee County, KY grew from 6,751 to 6,881, a 1.93% increase and its median household income grew from $23,972 to $25,275, a 5.44% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Lee County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (95.7%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.25%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.756%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (0.683%), and White (Hispanic) (0.436%). 0% of the households in Lee County, KY speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

99.2% of the residents in Lee County, KY are U.S. citizens.

In 2019, the median property value in Lee County, KY was $63,000, and the homeownership rate was 68.9%. Most people in Lee County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 36.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Lee County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Lee County, KY borders Breathitt County, KY, Estill County, KY, Jackson County, KY, Owsley County, KY, Powell County, KY, and Wolfe County, KY.

United States Kentucky

Diversity

Lee County, KY is home to a population of 6.88k people, from which 99.2% are citizens. As of 2019, 0.814% of Lee County, KY residents were born outside of the country (56 people).

In 2019, there were 42.5 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (6.58k people) in Lee County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 155 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 52 Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lee County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
6.58k ± 16
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
155 ± 63.1
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
52 ± 54

0.436%

Hispanic Population

30 people

0.436% of the people in Lee County, KY are hispanic (30 people).

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

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

0.814%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

56 people

0.859%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

58 people

As of 2019, 0.814% of Lee County, KY residents (56 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 34%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lee County, KY was 0.859%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 1.3

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 10.1

In 2019, the median age of all people in Lee County, KY was 43.6. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 44, were generally older than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Lee County, KY are getting getting younger. In 2018, the average age of all Lee County, KY residents was 44.

Global Diversity

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

Most Common Origin

Mexico
31,769 ± 4,360 people
India
12,409 ± 2,731 people
Cuba
11,319 ± 2,609 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 31,769 Kentucky residents, followed by India with 12,409 and Cuba with 11,319.

Citizenship

99.2%

2019 Citizenship

99.2%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 99.2% of Lee County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Lee County, KY was 99.2%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
110 ± 57
Gulf War (1990s)
75 ± 65
Korea
11 ± 19

Lee County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.47 times greater than any other conflict.

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.

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 Lee County, KY is $25,275. In 2019, the tract with the highest median household income in Lee County, KY was Census Tract 9502 with a value of $30,588, followed by Census Tract 9501 and Census Tract 9503, with respective values of $23,664 and $22,206.

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.35 times higher than the average income of females, which is $44,437. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.456, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Lee County, KY employs 2k people. The largest industries in Lee County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (334 people), Retail Trade (302 people), and Public Administration (230 people), and the highest paying industries are Educational Services ($48,906), Public Administration ($39,200), and Manufacturing ($37,989).

Wages

Median Household Income

$25,275

2019 value

± $5,222

5.44%

1 Year Growth

± 24.6%

Households in Lee County, KY have a median annual income of $25,275, 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 $23,972 in 2018, which represents a 5.44% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Lee 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.

$59,994

Average Male Salary in Kentucky

± $1,633

$44,437

Average Female Salary in Kentucky

± $1,156

In 2019, full-time male employees in Kentucky made 1.35 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
$58,983 ± $10,861
White
$46,691 ± $986
American Indian
$38,377 ± $15,879

In 2019 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 Lee County, KY is from Kentucky.

0.456

2019 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.456

2018 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2019, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.456 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.114% 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)

Census Tract 9502
Census Tract 9501
Census Tract 9503

In 2019, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Lee County, KY was Census Tract 9502 with a value of $30,588, followed by Census Tract 9501 and Census Tract 9503, with respective values of $23,664 and $22,206.

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

Poverty by Age and Gender

Males 55 - 64

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

34.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lee County, KY (2.24k out of 6.46k 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 Males 55 - 64, followed by Males 45 - 54 and then Females 45 - 54.

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
2,178 ± 238
Native American
47 ± 71
Two Or More
11 ± 78

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

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

2019 Value

± 269

8.92%

1 Year growth

± 17.2%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Lee County, KY grew at a rate of 8.92%, from 1.84k employees to 2k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lee County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (293 people), Production Occupations (190 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (189 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lee County, KY.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Lee County, KY, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (293 people), Production Occupations (190 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (189 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Lee County, KY has an unusually high number of residents working as Law Enforcement Workers Including Supervisors (3.82 times higher than expected), Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.83 times), and Transportation Occupations (1.72 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Lee County, KY, by median earnings, are Health Technologists & Technicians ($75,515), Business & Financial Operations Occupations ($60,195), and Education Information, & Library Occupations ($50,372).

Industries

Employment by Industries

2019 Value

± 269

8.92%

1 Year growth

± 17.2%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Lee County, KY grew at a rate of 8.92%, from 1.84k employees to 2k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lee County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (334 people), Retail Trade (302 people), and Public Administration (230 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lee County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Lee 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 Lee County, KY, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (334 people), Retail Trade (302 people), and Public Administration (230 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Lee County, KY has an unusually high number of Utilities (3.23 times higher than expected), Public Administration (2.49 times), and Construction (1.51 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Lee County, KY, by median earnings, are Educational Services ($48,906), Public Administration ($39,200), and Manufacturing ($37,989).

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 2018, the top outbound Kentucky product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $85.2B, followed by Electronics ($36.6B) and Machinery ($29.3B).

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

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky.

$373B

2018 Value in Kentucky

$703B

Projected 2045 Value in Kentucky

88.6% growth

In 2018, total outbound Kentucky trade was $373B. This is expected to increase 88.6% to $703B 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
$27.8B
Indiana
$22.6B
California
$21.2B

In 2018, the top outbound Kentucky domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Ohio with $27.8B, followed by Indiana with $22.6B and California and $21.2B.

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

Civics

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Lee County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 80.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (16.6%), followed by Other (2.7%). 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 (80.7%)
Republican Party
Hillary Rodham Clinton (16.6%)
Democratic Party
Other (2.7%)
Other Party

In the 2016 presidential election, the popular vote in Kentucky went to Donald J. Trump with 80.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Hillary Rodham Clinton (16.6%), followed by Other (2.7%).

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 Lee County, KY

80.7% 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.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Lee County, KY was $63,000 in 2019, which is 0.262 times smaller than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $65,000 to $63,000, a 3.08% decrease. The homeownership rate in Lee County, KY is 68.9%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Lee County, KY have an average commute time of 36.6 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lee County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$63,000

2019 Median

± $5,991

$65,000

2018 Median

± $5,840

In 2019, the median property value in Lee County, KY declined from to $63,000 from the previous year's value of $65,000.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Lee 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 Lee County, KY the largest share of households have a property value in the $50k - $60k range.

Household Income

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

$25,275

Median Household Income

± $5,222

2.84k

Number of Households

± 281

In 2019, the median household income of the 2.84k households in Lee County, KY grew to $25,275 from the previous year's value of $23,972.

The following chart displays the households in Lee 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 Lee County, KY distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lee County, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

Rent vs Own

68.9%

2019 Homeownership

70%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 68.9% of the housing units in Lee County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 70%.

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

Commute Time

36.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lee County, KY have a longer commute time (36.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.5 minutes). Additionally, 14.7% of the workforce in Lee County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (81.4%)
Carpooled (9.91%)
Walked (4.4%)

In 2019, 81.4% of workers in Lee County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.91%) and those who walked to work (4.4%).

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

Health

97.3% of the population of Lee County, KY has health coverage, with 31.7% on employee plans, 43.2% on Medicaid, 15.3% on Medicare, 5.24% on non-group plans, and 1.88% 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 Lee County, KY see 3516 patients per year on average, which represents a 7.03% increase from the previous year (3285 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 7403 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 740 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

3,516 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lee County, KY

Primary care physicians in Lee County, KY see an average of 3,516 patients per year. This represents a 7.03% increase from the previous year (3,285 patients).

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

2.74%

Uninsured

31.7%

Employer Coverage

43.2%

Medicaid

15.3%

Medicare

5.24%

Non-Group

1.88%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lee County, KY declined by 12% from 3.12% to 2.74%.

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