Perry County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

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

Perry County, Kentucky has a population of 27,499, the 39th most populous county in Kentucky. The median household income is $42,181 and the median home value is $91,800. The poverty rate is 26.8%.

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

Perry County Quick Facts

Population 27,499

Median Household Income $42,181

Median Home Value $91,800

Poverty Rate 26.8%

Unemployment Rate 5.8%

Median Age 41.5 years

Homeownership Rate 70.4%

Affordability Ratio 2.2x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.8%

High School Graduation 80.4%

Cities/Places 6

Population 27,499 39th of 120

Median Income $42,181 34% lower than state

Poverty Rate 26.8%

Unemployment 5.8%

How Perry 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	27,847	27,499	-1.2%
Median household income	$45,261	$42,181	-6.8%
Median home value	$90,700	$91,800	+1.2%

Median Household Income

Perry

$42,181

$63,726

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Perry

$91,800

$205,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 29.9%

$25K-$50K 23.9%

$50K-$100K 27.1%

$100K+ 19.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

10.1%

$10K-$15K

7.7%

$15K-$20K

6.0%

$20K-$25K

6.1%

$25K-$30K

6.5%

$30K-$35K

6.7%

$35K-$40K

5.3%

$40K-$45K

2.8%

$45K-$50K

2.6%

$50K-$60K

7.4%

$60K-$75K

7.6%

$75K-$100K

12.1%

$100K-$125K

5.9%

$125K-$150K

5.1%

$150K-$200K

4.3%

$200K+

3.8%

Employment

5.8% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

47.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 70.4%

Renter 29.6%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.2x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $798/mo 22.7% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

23.4%

18-34

18.8%

35-54

25.6%

55-74

25.4%

75+

6.8%

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 Perry County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Hazard	5,008	$51,016	31.5%	$145,400
Diablock	315	$18,750	47.3%	N/A
Jeff	309	$250,000+	3.9%	$189,500
Vicco	217	$43,393	25.8%	$109,700
Buckhorn	95	N/A	25.4%	$54,300
Combs	64	$40,769	25.0%	N/A

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

Perry County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 27,499. It is the 39th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 6 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Perry County is 41.5 years. This is 6% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Perry County is $42,181. 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 26.8%. This is 67% 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 5.8%. This is 19% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $91,800. Housing costs are 55% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.2x, Perry County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 70.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Perry County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.7% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 1.7%. The Black or African American population (1.7%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 5.0%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

14.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 46% 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 Perry 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 Perry County, Kentucky?

Perry County has a population of 27,499, making it the 39th most populous county in Kentucky.

What is the median income in Perry County?

The median household income in Perry County is $42,181 with a poverty rate of 26.8%.

How many cities are in Perry County, Kentucky?

Perry County contains 6 Census-designated places.