Metcalfe County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Metcalfe County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 10,425. It is the 98th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Metcalfe County is 42.0 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Metcalfe County is $51,473. This is 19% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 36% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.5%. This is 71% 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 4.9%. The median home value is $110,200. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, Metcalfe 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

Metcalfe County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.5% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 2.8%. The Black or African American population (2.5%) is well below the state average of 7.5%.

Education

13.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 53% 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 86.7%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Metcalfe 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.