Caldwell County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Caldwell County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 12,618. It is the 87th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Caldwell County is 42.4 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Caldwell County is $59,583. This is 7% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 15.2%. This is 6% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.4%. This is 10% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $118,500. Housing costs are 42% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Caldwell County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 70.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Caldwell County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 89.7% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 6.0%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 5.0%.

Education

17.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 38% lower than the state rate of 27.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 91.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Caldwell County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Kentucky and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.