Leslie County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Leslie County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 10,079. It is the 99th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 1 Census-designated place.

Age Demographics

The median age in Leslie County is 42.3 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Leslie County is $35,934. This is 44% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 55% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 30.3%. This is 89% 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 3.8%. This is 22% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $69,000. Housing costs are 66% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Leslie County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 85.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 25% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Leslie County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.5% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.2%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 5.0%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

11.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 58% 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 79.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Leslie 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.