Knott County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Knott County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 13,830. It is the 79th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Knott County is 44.6 years. This is 14% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Knott County is $41,761. This is 34% 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 23.3%. This is 45% 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 9.3%. This is 90% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $77,000. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.8x, Knott County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 72.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 6% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Knott County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.7% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.1%. The Black or African American population (1.1%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 5.0%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

19.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% 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 72.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Knott 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.