Pike County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

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

Pike County, Kentucky has a population of 56,727, the 17th most populous county in Kentucky. The median household income is $44,312 and the median home value is $112,000. The poverty rate is 24.4%.

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

Pike County Quick Facts

Population 56,727

Median Household Income $44,312

Median Home Value $112,000

Poverty Rate 24.4%

Unemployment Rate 5.2%

Median Age 43.3 years

Homeownership Rate 75.3%

Affordability Ratio 2.5x

Bachelor's Degree+ 17.8%

High School Graduation 82.5%

Cities/Places 9

Population 56,727 17th of 120

Median Income $44,312 30% lower than state

Poverty Rate 24.4%

Unemployment 5.2%

How Pike 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	57,466	56,727	-1.3%
Median household income	$42,179	$44,312	+5.1%
Median home value	$104,200	$112,000	+7.5%

Median Household Income

Pike

$44,312

$63,726

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Pike

$112,000

$205,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 33.1%

$25K-$50K 21.2%

$50K-$100K 27.5%

$100K+ 18.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

11.2%

$10K-$15K

8.9%

$15K-$20K

6.8%

$20K-$25K

6.2%

$25K-$30K

5.4%

$30K-$35K

4.3%

$35K-$40K

4.1%

$40K-$45K

3.6%

$45K-$50K

3.8%

$50K-$60K

7.1%

$60K-$75K

8.5%

$75K-$100K

11.9%

$100K-$125K

7.3%

$125K-$150K

4.0%

$150K-$200K

3.6%

$200K+

3.3%

Employment

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

43.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 75.3%

Renter 24.7%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.5x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $858/mo 23.2% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.3%

18-34

19.5%

35-54

25.8%

55-74

26.7%

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 Pike County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Pikeville	7,490	$39,955	27.1%	$263,800
Coal Run Village	1,724	$52,750	26.3%	$132,400
Elkhorn City	846	$44,000	20.8%	$116,700
South Williamson	472	$56,484	23.7%	$169,800
Virgie	424	N/A	38.9%	$209,200
Phelps	301	N/A	36.5%	$102,700
McCarr	265	$37,043	13.6%	N/A
Belfry	118	N/A	0.0%	$163,900
Freeburn	91	N/A	100.0%	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

Pike County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 56,727. It is the 17th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Pike County is 43.3 years. This is 11% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Pike County is $44,312. This is 30% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 45% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.4%. 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 5.2%. This is 6% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $112,000. Housing costs are 46% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Pike County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 75.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 10% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Pike County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 93.9% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.3%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.3%) is well below the state average of 5.0%. The Asian population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

17.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 35% 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 82.5%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Pike 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 Pike County, Kentucky?

Pike County has a population of 56,727, making it the 17th most populous county in Kentucky.

What is the median income in Pike County?

The median household income in Pike County is $44,312 with a poverty rate of 24.4%.

How many cities are in Pike County, Kentucky?

Pike County contains 9 Census-designated places.