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Kenton County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Kenton County, Kentucky has a population of 171,288, the 3rd most populous county in Kentucky. The median household income is $80,548 and the median home value is $244,400. The poverty rate is 11.8%.

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

Kenton County Quick Facts

Population 171,288
Median Household Income $80,548
Median Home Value $244,400
Poverty Rate 11.8%
Unemployment Rate 4.3%
Median Age 37.7 years
Homeownership Rate 70.7%
Affordability Ratio 3.0x
Bachelor's Degree+ 37.4%
High School Graduation 93.0%
Cities/Places 20
Population 171,288 3rd of 120
Median Income $80,548 26% higher than state
Poverty Rate 11.8%
Unemployment 4.3%

How Kenton County Changed

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

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population169,817171,288+0.9%
Median household income$79,421$80,548+1.4%
Median home value$227,500$244,400+7.4%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 13.4%
$25K-$50K 17.2%
$50K-$100K 29.0%
$100K+ 40.5%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
4.5%
$10K-$15K
3.0%
$15K-$20K
2.5%
$20K-$25K
3.3%
$25K-$30K
3.1%
$30K-$35K
3.2%
$35K-$40K
3.4%
$40K-$45K
3.6%
$45K-$50K
3.8%
$50K-$60K
6.1%
$60K-$75K
9.9%
$75K-$100K
13.0%
$100K-$125K
11.1%
$125K-$150K
8.0%
$150K-$200K
9.8%
$200K+
11.7%

Employment

4.3% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%
68.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.7%
Renter 29.3%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.0x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,069/mo 15.9% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

27out of 100
Low Diversity

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

State average: 33 | National average: 61

Education

Cities & Places in Kenton County

CityPopulationMedian IncomePovertyHome Value
Covington41,110$61,16620.8%$187,300
Independence29,392$102,3618.8%$263,700
Erlanger19,875$75,84013.7%$209,000
Elsmere9,205$60,50315.6%$171,900
Fort Mitchell8,713$86,3108.1%$357,100
Edgewood8,447$119,0283.8%$312,200
Villa Hills7,480$107,8593.7%$362,500
Taylor Mill6,937$88,54610.9%$241,000
Fort Wright5,887$105,0243.0%$328,900
Walton5,730$77,91713.0%$262,200
Crescent Springs4,486$83,0665.4%$302,100
Ludlow4,378$65,28424.4%$184,800
Crittenden4,084$57,2839.5%$223,800
Crestview Hills3,284$95,44111.8%$279,800
Park Hills3,165$99,8617.4%$282,100
Lakeside Park2,828$128,6501.5%$360,400
Bromley821$71,0003.9%$150,000
Ryland Heights789$69,0009.0%$213,700
Kenton Vale158$63,02110.8%$165,500
Fairview120$56,2505.8%$133,300

Population Overview

Kenton County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 171,288. It is the 3rd most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 20 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Kenton County is 37.7 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Kenton County is $80,548. This is 26% higher than the state median of $63,726. It is also about the same as the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 11.8%. This is 26% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.3%. This is 11% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $244,400. Housing costs are 19% higher than the state median of $205,600. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.0x. 70.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 4% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Kenton County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 85.2% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 4.9%.

Education

37.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Kenton County in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 36% higher 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 93.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Kenton 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 Kenton County, Kentucky?

Kenton County has a population of 171,288, making it the 3rd most populous county in Kentucky.

What is the median income in Kenton County?

The median household income in Kenton County is $80,548 with a poverty rate of 11.8%.

How many cities are in Kenton County, Kentucky?

Kenton County contains 20 Census-designated places.