Letcher County, KY

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Population

23,011

1.59% decline

Median Age

41.8


Median Household Income

$30,293

3.81% growth

Poverty Rate

30.5%


Number of Employees

7,058

3.8% decline

Median Property Value

$58,500

2.09% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Letcher County, KY had a population of 23k people with a median age of 41.8 and a median household income of $30,293. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Letcher County, KY declined from 23,382 to 23,011, a -1.59% decrease and its median household income grew from $29,181 to $30,293, a 3.81% increase.

The population of Letcher County, KY is 97.7% White Alone, 0.817% Two or More Races, and 0.743% Hispanic or Latino. 1.76% of the people in Letcher County, KY speak a non-English language, and 99.6% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Letcher County, KY are Jenny Lea Academy of Cosmetology (13 degrees awarded in 2016).

The median property value in Letcher County, KY is $58,500, and the homeownership rate is 74.2%. Most people in Letcher County, KY commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 24.6 minutes. The average car ownership in Letcher County, KY is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Bill Brine

United StatesKentucky

Economy

The economy of Letcher County, KY employs 7.06k people. The largest industries in Letcher County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,650 people), Educational Services (922 people), and Retail Trade (806 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($61,962), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($61,632), and Wholesale Trade ($45,192).

Median household income in Letcher County, KY is $30,293. Males in Letcher County, KY have an average income that is 1.36 times higher than the average income of females, which is $41,451. The income inequality in Letcher County, KY (measured using the Gini index) is 0.457, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$30,293

2017 value

± $2,697

3.81%

1 Year Growth

± 13.2%

Households in Letcher County, KY have a median annual income of $30,293, which is less than the median annual income of $60,336 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $29,181 in 2016, which represents a 3.81% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Letcher County, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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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

± $1,518

$41,451

Average Female Salary

± $1,092

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

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

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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

  1. Asian

    $55,164 ± $10,370

  2. White

    $43,856 ± $923

  3. American Indian

    $34,557 ± $13,648

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

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

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Wage Distribution

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

0.457

2017 Wage GINI

0.455

2016 Wage GINI

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 2017 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.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 9505

  2. Census Tract 9502

  3. Census Tract 9504.01

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Letcher County, KY was Census Tract 9505 with a value of $42,650, followed by Census Tract 9502 and Census Tract 9504.01, with respective values of $32,292 and $31,667.

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

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 45 - 54

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

30.5% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Letcher County, KY (6.95k out of 22.7k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 45 - 54, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 25 - 34.

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.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    6,880 ± 531

  2. Hispanic

    36 ± 100

  3. Native American

    33 ± 108

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

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.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

7.06k

2017 Value

± 605

-3.8%

1 Year decline

± 12.4%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Letcher County, KY declined at a rate of -3.8%, from 7.34k employees to 7.06k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Letcher County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (827 people), Sales & Related Occupations (732 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (643 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Letcher County, KY.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Letcher County, KY, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (827 people), Sales & Related Occupations (732 people), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (643 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Letcher County, KY has an unusually high number of residents working as Health Technologists & Technicians (2.73 times higher than expected), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations (2.06 times), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.83 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Letcher County, KY, by median earnings, are Legal Occupations ($75,417), Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($55,082), and Construction & Extraction Occupations ($55,058).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

7.06k

2017 Value

± 605

-3.8%

1 Year decline

± 12.4%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Letcher County, KY declined at a rate of -3.8%, from 7.34k employees to 7.06k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Letcher County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,650 people), Educational Services (922 people), and Retail Trade (806 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Letcher County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Letcher County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Letcher County, KY, by number of employees, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,650 people), Educational Services (922 people), and Retail Trade (806 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Letcher County, KY has an unusually high number of Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (16 times higher than expected), Health Care & Social Assistance (1.69 times), and Educational Services (1.41 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Letcher County, KY, by median earnings, are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($61,962), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($61,632), and Wholesale Trade ($45,192).

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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

  1. Motorized vehicles

    $71.4B

  2. Base metals

    $17.1B

  3. Gasoline

    $17.1B

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

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

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky state.

$282B

2015 Value

$398B

Projected 2045 Value

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.

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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

  1. Ohio

    $22.9B

  2. Indiana

    $19.1B

  3. 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).

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Health

92% of the population of Letcher County, KY has health coverage, with 31.5% on employee plans, 34.8% on Medicaid, 16.1% on Medicare, 8.69% on non-group plans, and 0.88% on military or VA plans.

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

Primary care physicians in Letcher County, KY see 1542 patients per year on average, which represents a 12.2% increase from the previous year (1374 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2847 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1518 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

1,542 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Letcher County, KY see an average of 1,542 patients per year. This represents a 12.2% increase from the previous year (1,374 patients).

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

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. 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.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. 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.

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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 

$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.

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Health Care Coverage

8.03%

Uninsured

31.5%

Employer Coverage

34.8%

Medicaid

16.1%

Medicare

8.69%

Non-Group

0.88%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Letcher County, KY declined by 26.1% from 10.9% to 8.03%.

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

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Harlan County

    18% prevalence

  2. Letcher County

    17.9% prevalence

  3. Lawrence County

    17.8% prevalence

Harlan County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Kentucky, at 18%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Kentucky by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Letcher County, KY is home to a population of 23k people, from which 99.6% are citizens. As of 2017, 0.521% of Letcher County, KY residents were born outside of the country.

The ethnic composition of the population of Letcher County, KY is composed of 22.5k White Alone residents (97.7%), 188 Two or More Races residents (0.817%), 171 Hispanic or Latino residents (0.743%), 67 Black or African American Alone residents (0.291%), 57 Asian Alone residents (0.248%), 43 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (0.187%), 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%), and 0 Some Other Race Alone residents (0%).

The most common foreign languages spoken in Letcher County, KY are Spanish or Spanish Creole (215 speakers), Chinese (43 speakers), and Vietnamese (40 speakers).

Age

Age by Nativity

42

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.7

41

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 8

In 2017, the median age of all people in Letcher County, KY was 41.8. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 42, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 41. But people in Letcher County, KY are getting getting older. In 2016, the average age of all Letcher County, KY residents was 42.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

0.521%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

0.346%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

As of 2017, 0.521% of Letcher County, KY residents were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Letcher County, KY was 0.346%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    32,622 ± 4,418 people

  2. India

    10,932 ± 2,564 people

  3. Cuba

    8,780 ± 2,298 people

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

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Citizenship

99.6%

2017 Citizenship

99.8%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 99.6% of Letcher County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.1%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Letcher County, KY was 99.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    22.5k ± 9

  2. Two or More Races

    188 ± 65.6

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    171 ± 67.9

In 2017, there were 120 times more White Alone residents (22.5k people) in Letcher County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 188 Two or More Races and 171 Hispanic or Latino residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Letcher County, KY as a share of the total population.

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Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

  1. Spanish or Spanish Creole

    215 speakers (0.965%)

  2. Chinese

    43 speakers (0.193%)

  3. Vietnamese

    40 speakers (0.179%)

1.76% of Letcher County, KY citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 21.5%. In 2015, the most common non-English language spoken in Letcher County, KY was Spanish or Spanish Creole. 0.965% of the overall population of Letcher County, KY are native Spanish or Spanish Creole speakers. 0.193% speak Chinese and 0.179% speak Spanish or Spanish Creole, the next two most common languages.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    491 ± 127

  2. Gulf War (1990s)

    67 ± 55

  3. Korea

    55 ± 46

Letcher County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 7.33 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2016, universities in Letcher County, KY awarded 13 degrees. The student population of Letcher County, KY is skewed towards women, with 0 male students and 23 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Letcher County, KY are White (13 and 100%), followed by Asian (0 and 0%), Black or African American (0 and 0%), and Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders (0 and 0%).

The largest universities in Letcher County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Jenny Lea Academy of Cosmetology (13 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Letcher County, KY are General Cosmetology (13 and 100%) and Cosmetology, Barber, & Nail Instructor (0 and 0%).

The median tuition costs in Letcher 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

  1. General Cosmetology

    13 degrees awarded

  2. N/A

    N/A degrees awarded

  3. N/A

    N/A degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for 2 to 4 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Letcher County, KY was General Cosmetology with 13 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a 2 to 4 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Letcher County, KY according to their major.

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Universities

Jenny Lea Academy of Cosmetology

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

13 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2016, the Letcher County, KY institution with the largest number of graduating students was Jenny Lea Academy of Cosmetology with 13 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

2

Degrees Awarded to Men

11

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2016, 2 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Letcher County, KY, which is 0.182 times less than the 11 female students who received degrees in the same year.

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

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    13 degrees awarded

  2. Asian

    0 degrees awarded

  3. Black or African American

    0 degrees awarded

In 2016 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Letcher County, KY were to White students. These 13 degrees mean that there were N/A times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Asian, with 0 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Letcher County, KY was $58,500 in 2017, which is 0.269 times smaller than the national average of $217,600. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $57,300 to $58,500, a 2.09% increase. The homeownership rate in Letcher County, KY is 74.2%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Letcher County, KY have an average commute time of 24.6 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Letcher County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Income

Household Income

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

$30,293

Median Household Income

± $2,697

10.1k

Number of Households

± 709

In 2017, the median household income of the 10.1k households in Letcher County, KY grew to $30,293 from the previous year's value of $29,181.

The following chart displays the households in Letcher 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.

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Housing

Property Value

$58,500

2017 Median

± $3,434

$57,300

2016 Median

± $3,782

In 2017, the median property value in Letcher County, KY grew to to $58,500 from the previous year's value of $57,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Letcher 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 Letcher County, KY the largest share of households have a property value in the $40k - $50k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

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

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Rent vs Own

74.2%

2017 Homeownership

73.8%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 74.2% of the housing units in Letcher County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 73.8%.

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

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Letcher County, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Letcher County, KY have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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Commute Time

24.6 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Letcher County, KY have a shorter commute time (24.6 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 2.16% of the workforce in Letcher County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    84.1%

  2. Carpooled

    9.1%

  3. Worked At Home

    3.78%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Letcher County, KY was Drove Alone, followed by those who Carpooled and those who Worked At Home.

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