Carter County, KY

County

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2021 Population

26,820

0.578% 1-year decline

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2021 Median Age

41.5

0.24% 1-year decrease

2021 Poverty Rate

30.2%

21.3% 1-year increase

2021 Median Household Income

$40,092

1.52% 1-year growth

2021 Median Property Value

$106,500

2.74% 1-year decline

2021 Employed Population

8,705

3.09% 1-year decline

About

In 2021, Carter County, KY had a population of 26.8k people with a median age of 41.5 and a median household income of $40,092. Between 2020 and 2021 the population of Carter County, KY declined from 26,976 to 26,820, a −0.578% decrease and its median household income grew from $39,492 to $40,092, a 1.52% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Carter County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (96%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (2.24%), Two+ (Hispanic) (0.459%), White (Hispanic) (0.433%), and American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (0.388%).

None of the households in Carter County, KY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99.4% of the residents in Carter County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Carter County, KY are Kentucky Christian University (127 degrees awarded in 2021).

In 2021, the median property value in Carter County, KY was $106,500, and the homeownership rate was 78.2%.

Most people in Carter County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 30.7 minutes. The average car ownership in Carter County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Carter County, KY borders Boyd County, KY, Elliott County, KY, Greenup County, KY, Lawrence County, KY, Lewis County, KY, and Rowan County, KY.

United States Kentucky

Population & Diversity

Carter County, KY is home to a population of 26.8k people, from which 99.4% are citizens. As of 2021, 0.716% of Carter County, KY residents were born outside of the country (192 people).

In 2021, there were 42.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (25.7k people) in Carter County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 601 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 123 Two+ (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99.4%

2021 Citizenship

99.5%

2020 Citizenship

As of 2021, 99.4% of Carter County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2020, the percentage of US citizens in Carter County, KY was 99.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Carter County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Carter County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
25.7k ± 169
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
601 ± 321
Two+ (Hispanic)
123 ± 187

0.951%

Hispanic Population

255 people

0.951% of the people in Carter County, KY are hispanic (255 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Carter County, KY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
29,505 ± 4,203 people
Cuba
14,201 ± 2,921 people
India
12,469 ± 2,738 people

In 2021, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 29,505 Kentucky residents, followed by Cuba with 14,201 and India with 12,469.

Foreign-Born Population

0.716%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

192 people

0.645%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

174 people

As of 2021, 0.716% of Carter County, KY residents (192 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2020, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Carter County, KY was 0.645%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Carter County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
519 ± 178
Gulf War (1990s)
207 ± 116
Gulf War (2001-)
165 ± 110

Carter County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.51 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Carter County, KY employs 8.71k people. The largest industries in Carter County, KY are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,277 people), Retail Trade (1,116 people), and Educational Services (1,093 people), and the highest paying industries are Utilities ($65,750), Construction ($52,917), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($49,194).

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.33 times higher than the average income of females, which is $48,114. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.453, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

8.71k

2021 Value

± 776

−3.09%

1 Year decline

± 12.9%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Carter County, KY declined at a rate of −3.09%, from 8.98k employees to 8.71k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Carter County, KY, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,154 people), Production Occupations (821 people), and Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (650 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Carter County, KY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kentucky (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

8.71k

2021 Value

± 776

−3.09%

1 Year decline

± 12.9%

From 2020 to 2021, employment in Carter County, KY declined at a rate of −3.09%, from 8.98k employees to 8.71k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Carter County, KY, are Health Care & Social Assistance (1,277 people), Retail Trade (1,116 people), and Educational Services (1,093 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Carter County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Carter County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$34,611

Median earning men ± $6,474

$21,462

Median earning women ± $3,168

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2021 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($63,875), Construction ($55,125), and Information ($43,464).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2021 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($67,650), Public Administration ($38,750), and Manufacturing ($31,538).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for false.

Y-Axis

2.75%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 155M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 2.75% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kentucky.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

178
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
115
Retail Trade
114
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$76k
Manufacturing
$36.9k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$27.6k
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $57.5B, followed by Electronics ($36.5B) and Machinery ($28.4B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Kentucky products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky.

$330B

2020 Value in Kentucky

$644B

Projected 2050 Value in Kentucky

95% growth

In 2020, total outbound Kentucky trade was $330B. This is expected to increase 95% to $644B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Kentucky trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Most Common Trade Partners

Tennessee
$27.7B
California
$19B
Ohio
$17.7B

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Tennessee with $27.7B, followed by California with $19B and Ohio and $17.7B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Kentucky shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Carter County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 75.7% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.8%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (0.924%).

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (75.7%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (22.8%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (0.924%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Carter County, KY for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Kentucky

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Mitch McConnell

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 1985

Rand Paul

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing Kentucky.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Kentucky over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Kentucky

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Kentucky have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2021, universities in Carter County, KY awarded 127 degrees. The student population of Carter County, KY in 2021 is skewed towards men, with 393 male students and 281 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Carter County, KY are White (96 and 78%), followed by Unknown (13 and 10.6%), Black or African American (10 and 8.13%), and Hispanic or Latino (2 and 1.63%).

The largest universities in Carter County, KY by number of degrees awarded are Kentucky Christian University (127 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Carter County, KY are Nursing Administration (31 and 24.4%), General Business Administration & Management (24 and 18.9%), and Biblical Studies (10 and 7.87%).

The median tuition cost in Carter County, KY for private four year colleges is $21,530.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2021 in Carter County, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 57.7%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 30.7%. The number of students enrolled in 2021 was 674 (58.3% men and 41.7% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2021 there were 674 students enrolled in Carter County, KY, 58.3% men and 41.7% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 462 records, of which 50.9% were women and 49.1% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
24 degrees awarded
Social Work
10 degrees awarded
Nursing Administration
10 degrees awarded

In 2021, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Carter County, KY was General Business Administration & Management with 24 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Carter County, KY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

Kentucky Christian University

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

127 degrees awarded

In 2021, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Kentucky Christian University with 127 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2021, 63 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Carter County, KY, which is 0.984 times less than the 64 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2021 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 96 degrees mean that there were 7.38 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Unknown, with 13 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($21,530) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($600) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2021.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,200) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Measure

In 2021, 0.789% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.712% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2021 were High School or Equivalent (1.17M), Some college (777k), and Secondary Education (561k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Carter County, KY was $106,500 in 2021, which is 0.435 times smaller than the national average of $244,900. Between 2020 and 2021 the median property value increased from $109,500 to $106,500, a 2.74% decrease. The homeownership rate in Carter County, KY is 78.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.6%.

People in Carter County, KY have an average commute time of 30.7 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Carter County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Carter County, KY is $40,092. In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Carter County, KY was Census Tract 9604 with a value of $54,375, followed by Census Tract 9602 and Census Tract 9603, with respective values of $42,532 and $42,283.

In 2022, 13.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Carter County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 1.99%.

Housing

Property

$106,500

Median Property Value 2021

±$11,530

$7,411

Median Property Taxes

±$588

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Carter County, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Carter County, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

78.2%

Homeownership

2021

67%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2021

In 2021, 78.2% of the housing units in Carter County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 78.7%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Carter County, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9604
Census Tract 9602
Census Tract 9603

In 2021, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Carter County, KY was Census Tract 9604 with a value of $54,375, followed by Census Tract 9602 and Census Tract 9603, with respective values of $42,532 and $42,283.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Carter County, KY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$40,092

Median Household Income

± $4,262

9.48k

Number of Households

± 698

In 2021, the median household income of the 9.48k households in Carter County, KY grew to $40,092 from the previous year's value of $39,492.

The following chart displays the households in Carter County, KY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Carter County, KY is from Kentucky.

0.453

2021 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.454

2020 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2021, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.453 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.236% decline from 2020 to 2021, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kentucky in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Kentucky across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2021

Drove Alone (79.5%)
Carpooled (13.5%)
Walked (3.22%)

In 2021, 79.5% of workers in Carter County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (13.5%) and those who walked to work (3.22%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

30.7 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Carter County, KY have a longer commute time (30.7 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.8 minutes). Additionally, 5.45% of the workforce in Carter County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Carter County, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Carter County, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Carter County, KY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2022, 13.4% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Carter County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator grew 1.99%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

30.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Carter County, KY (7.87k out of 26k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.6%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 45 - 54 and then Males 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Carter County, KY is White, followed by Two Or More and Hispanic.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2022, 23.4% of the children was living in poverty in Carter County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 10.8%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 53.6 in Carter County, KY. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 11.3 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

90.5% of the population of Carter County, KY has health coverage, with 32.2% on employee plans, 31% on Medicaid, 15.3% on Medicare, 10.3% on non-group plans, and 1.83% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Carter County, KY see 5359 patients per year on average, which represents a 19.1% increase from the previous year (4501 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 5308 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 492 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

5,359 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Carter County, KY

Primary care physicians in Carter County, KY see an average of 5,359 patients per year. This represents a 19.1% increase from the previous year (4,501 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Carter County, KY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Health Care Diversity

In 2021, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.1% under 18 years, 17.8% between 18 and 34 years, 38.4% between 35 and 64 years, and 18.7% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49% were men and 51% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

9.48%

Uninsured

32.2%

Employer Coverage

31%

Medicaid

15.3%

Medicare

10.3%

Non-Group

1.83%

Military or VA

Between 2020 and 2021, the percent of uninsured citizens in Carter County, KY declined by 4.57% from 9.94% to 9.48%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Carter County, KY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2022, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was N/A in Carter County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Carter County, KY.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2022, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 42.1% in Carter County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Carter County, KY.

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