Marion County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Marion County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 19,749. It is the 60th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 5 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Marion County is 40.4 years. This is 3% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Marion County is $59,627. This is 6% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 26% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.0%. This is 6% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.1%. The unemployment rate is 4.2%. This is 14% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $168,100. Housing costs are 18% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.8x, Marion County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Marion County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 86.4% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 7.6%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

15.1% 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 87.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Marion 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.