Harlan County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Name: Harlan County, Kentucky Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Harlan County, Kentucky has a population of 25,772, the 44th most populous county in Kentucky. The median household income is $41,693 and the median home value is $73,700. The poverty rate is 27.4%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Harlan County Quick Facts

Population 25,772

Median Household Income $41,693

Median Home Value $73,700

Poverty Rate 27.4%

Unemployment Rate 9.5%

Median Age 40.9 years

Homeownership Rate 71.6%

Affordability Ratio 1.8x

Bachelor's Degree+ 13.1%

High School Graduation 81.7%

Cities/Places 14

Population 25,772 44th of 120

Median Income $41,693 35% lower than state

Poverty Rate 27.4%

Unemployment 9.5%

How Harlan County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	26,185	25,772	-1.6%
Median household income	$37,198	$41,693	+12.1%
Median home value	$73,100	$73,700	+0.8%

Median Household Income

Harlan

$41,693

$63,726

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Harlan

$73,700

$205,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 32.8%

$25K-$50K 23.7%

$50K-$100K 27.4%

$100K+ 16.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

11.2%

$10K-$15K

7.6%

$15K-$20K

6.9%

$20K-$25K

7.1%

$25K-$30K

5.1%

$30K-$35K

5.5%

$35K-$40K

5.7%

$40K-$45K

3.1%

$45K-$50K

4.3%

$50K-$60K

8.3%

$60K-$75K

10.8%

$75K-$100K

8.4%

$100K-$125K

7.7%

$125K-$150K

3.4%

$150K-$200K

2.7%

$200K+

2.3%

Employment

9.5% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

41.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 71.6%

Renter 28.4%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.8x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $678/mo 19.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.8%

18-34

18.6%

35-54

24.5%

55-74

25.9%

75+

7.3%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 33 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Harlan County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Harlan	2,160	$32,408	33.1%	$89,200
Cumberland	2,037	$35,410	52.8%	$66,500
South Wallins	765	$26,336	35.2%	$55,300
Benham	725	$44,946	15.7%	$53,000
Lynch	709	$30,114	36.7%	$58,600
Evarts	648	$34,007	35.4%	$71,400
Cawood	596	N/A	6.4%	$69,800
Pathfork	542	$49,571	21.1%	N/A
Loyall	388	$52,734	24.2%	$75,900
Ages	385	$34,063	50.6%	$64,400
Wallins Creek	383	N/A	2.6%	$177,500
Kenvir	358	N/A	44.7%	$74,400
Coldiron	193	$58,690	9.8%	$90,500
Coxton	137	$21,553	30.7%	$94,400

Explore Kentucky Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Harlan County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 25,772. It is the 44th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 14 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Harlan County is 40.9 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Harlan County is $41,693. This is 35% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 48% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.4%. This is 70% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.1%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 9.5%. This is 96% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $73,700. Housing costs are 64% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Harlan County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 71.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 5% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Harlan County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.9% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.3%. The Black or African American population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.5%) is well below the state average of 5.0%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

13.1% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 53% 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 81.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Harlan 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Harlan County, Kentucky?

Harlan County has a population of 25,772, making it the 44th most populous county in Kentucky.

What is the median income in Harlan County?

The median household income in Harlan County is $41,693 with a poverty rate of 27.4%.

How many cities are in Harlan County, Kentucky?

Harlan County contains 14 Census-designated places.