Lawrence County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

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

Lawrence County, Kentucky has a population of 16,077, the 70th most populous county in Kentucky. The median household income is $46,772 and the median home value is $111,700. The poverty rate is 21.8%.

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

Lawrence County Quick Facts

Population 16,077

Median Household Income $46,772

Median Home Value $111,700

Poverty Rate 21.8%

Unemployment Rate 7.7%

Median Age 42.1 years

Homeownership Rate 77.8%

Affordability Ratio 2.4x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.6%

High School Graduation 81.7%

Cities/Places 2

Population 16,077 70th of 120

Median Income $46,772 27% lower than state

Poverty Rate 21.8%

Unemployment 7.7%

How Lawrence 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	16,171	16,077	-0.6%
Median household income	$45,584	$46,772	+2.6%
Median home value	$108,100	$111,700	+3.3%

Median Household Income

Lawrence

$46,772

$63,726

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Lawrence

$111,700

$205,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 26.2%

$25K-$50K 26.2%

$50K-$100K 26.5%

$100K+ 21.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.4%

$10K-$15K

9.8%

$15K-$20K

4.4%

$20K-$25K

5.6%

$25K-$30K

6.2%

$30K-$35K

6.6%

$35K-$40K

4.9%

$40K-$45K

4.4%

$45K-$50K

4.1%

$50K-$60K

8.4%

$60K-$75K

9.3%

$75K-$100K

8.7%

$100K-$125K

9.7%

$125K-$150K

4.1%

$150K-$200K

4.7%

$200K+

2.7%

Employment

7.7% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

46.7% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 77.8%

Renter 22.2%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.4x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $760/mo 19.5% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.4%

18-34

17.8%

35-54

24.6%

55-74

27.3%

75+

6.9%

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 Lawrence County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Louisa	2,580	$40,000	22.3%	$120,500
Blaine	80	$42,188	37.5%	$252,800

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

Lawrence County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 16,077. It is the 70th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lawrence County is 42.1 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lawrence County is $46,772. This is 27% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 42% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 21.8%. This is 36% 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 7.7%. This is 59% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $111,700. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.4x, Lawrence County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.8% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Lawrence County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.7% of all residents. Asian residents account for 1.3%. The Black or African American population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 5.0%.

Education

14.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 47% 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County, Kentucky?

Lawrence County has a population of 16,077, making it the 70th most populous county in Kentucky.

What is the median income in Lawrence County?

The median household income in Lawrence County is $46,772 with a poverty rate of 21.8%.

How many cities are in Lawrence County, Kentucky?

Lawrence County contains 2 Census-designated places.