Letcher County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

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

Letcher County, Kentucky has a population of 20,808, the 55th most populous county in Kentucky. The median household income is $41,793 and the median home value is $67,400. The poverty rate is 24.3%.

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

Letcher County Quick Facts

Population 20,808

Median Household Income $41,793

Median Home Value $67,400

Poverty Rate 24.3%

Unemployment Rate 6.2%

Median Age 43.5 years

Homeownership Rate 74.1%

Affordability Ratio 1.6x

Bachelor's Degree+ 12.5%

High School Graduation 82.4%

Cities/Places 8

Population 20,808 55th of 120

Median Income $41,793 34% lower than state

Poverty Rate 24.3%

Unemployment 6.2%

How Letcher 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	21,146	20,808	-1.6%
Median household income	$40,501	$41,793	+3.2%
Median home value	$70,500	$67,400	-4.4%

Median Household Income

Letcher

$41,793

$63,726

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Letcher

$67,400

$205,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 32.2%

$25K-$50K 24.7%

$50K-$100K 28.9%

$100K+ 14.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

6.4%

$10K-$15K

12.3%

$15K-$20K

5.3%

$20K-$25K

8.2%

$25K-$30K

6.3%

$30K-$35K

7.0%

$35K-$40K

2.3%

$40K-$45K

6.2%

$45K-$50K

2.9%

$50K-$60K

9.4%

$60K-$75K

7.0%

$75K-$100K

12.6%

$100K-$125K

7.2%

$125K-$150K

3.6%

$150K-$200K

2.8%

$200K+

0.6%

Employment

6.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

43.1% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 74.1%

Renter 25.9%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

1.6x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $669/mo 19.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.8%

18-34

17.5%

35-54

25.1%

55-74

27.9%

75+

7.7%

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 Letcher County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Whitesburg	1,761	$29,189	37.5%	$111,700
Jenkins	1,406	$27,200	32.3%	$80,200
Fleming-Neon	567	$34,107	20.9%	$52,900
McRoberts	556	N/A	46.0%	$60,100
Mayking	503	N/A	41.9%	$67,100
Payne Gap	440	$36,250	15.0%	N/A
Millstone	317	N/A	0.0%	N/A
Blackey	141	$11,629	74.5%	$69,200

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

Letcher County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 20,808. It is the 55th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Letcher County is 43.5 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Letcher County is $41,793. 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 24.3%. This is 52% 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 6.2%. This is 26% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $67,400. Housing costs are 67% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.6x, Letcher County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.1% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Letcher County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 0.8%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.8%) is well below the state average of 5.0%. The Asian population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

12.5% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 55% 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 82.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Letcher 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 Letcher County, Kentucky?

Letcher County has a population of 20,808, making it the 55th most populous county in Kentucky.

What is the median income in Letcher County?

The median household income in Letcher County is $41,793 with a poverty rate of 24.3%.

How many cities are in Letcher County, Kentucky?

Letcher County contains 8 Census-designated places.