Rockcastle County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Rockcastle County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 16,163. It is the 69th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Rockcastle County is 42.8 years. This is 9% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Rockcastle County is $48,862. This is 23% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 39% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 25.6%. This is 60% 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 4.6%. This is 6% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $123,600. Housing costs are 40% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Rockcastle County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Rockcastle County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.3% 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 (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

13.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% 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 83.4%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Rockcastle 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.