Lewis County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Lewis County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 12,965. It is the 84th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Lewis County is 42.4 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Lewis County is $46,838. 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 22.0%. This is 37% 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 6.0%. This is 24% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $96,000. Housing costs are 53% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Lewis County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 79.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Lewis County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 96.9% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 0.5%. The Black or African American population (0.5%) 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 (0.2%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

15.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% 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 80.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Lewis 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.