Washington County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Washington County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 12,140. It is the 91st most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 3 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Washington County is 42.3 years. This is 8% higher than the state median of 39.1 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Washington County is $61,616. This is 3% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 24% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 12.8%. This is 21% lower than the state poverty rate of 16.1%. The unemployment rate is 3.4%. This is 31% lower than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $179,200. Housing costs are 13% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.9x, Washington County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 77.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 14% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Washington County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 87.4% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 4.6%. 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

19.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 29% 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 88.8%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Washington 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.