Wolfe County, Kentucky Demographics 2026

Population Overview

Wolfe County is located in Kentucky with a total population of 6,443. It is the 113th most populous county out of 120 in Kentucky. The county encompasses 2 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Wolfe 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 Wolfe County is $30,417. This is 52% lower than the state median of $63,726. It is also 62% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 37.7%. This is 135% 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 13.1%. This is 170% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $75,800. Housing costs are 63% lower than the state median of $205,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.5x, Wolfe County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 73.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 8% higher than the state average of 68.3%.

Race & Ethnicity

Wolfe County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 95.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 1.6%. The Black or African American population (0.2%) is well below the state average of 7.5%. The Hispanic or Latino population (1.6%) is well below the state average of 5.0%.

Education

8.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. This is 68% 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 70.1%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Wolfe 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.