Letcher County, Kentucky Population 2024

20,019

Letcher County, Kentucky's estimated 2024 population is 20,019 with a growth rate of -1.98% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Letcher County, Kentucky is the 58th largest county in Kentucky. The 2010 population was 24,534 and has seen a growth of -18.4% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202917,999-404-2.2%
202818,403-404-2.15%
202718,807-404-2.1%
202619,211-404-2.06%
202519,615-404-2.02%
202420,019-404-1.98%
202320,423-404-1.94%
202220,827-397-1.87%
202121,224-241-1.12%
202021,465-95-0.44%
201921,560-287-1.31%
201821,847-450-2.02%
201722,297-468-2.06%
201622,765-278-1.21%
201523,043-309-1.32%
201423,352-184-0.78%
201323,536-473-1.97%
201224,009-366-1.5%
201124,375-159-0.65%
201024,53400%
199027,000-3,687-12.01%
198030,6877,52232.47%
197023,165-6,937-23.04%
196030,102-9,420-23.83%
195039,522-1,070-2.64%
194040,5924,89013.7%
193035,70211,23545.92%
192024,46713,844130.32%
191010,6231,45115.82%
19009,1722,25232.54%
18906,9203194.83%
18806,6011,99343.25%
18704,60870418.03%
18603,9041,39255.41%
18502,512-15,487-86.04%
2024 Growth Rate
-1.98% (-404)
County Website
Letcher County
County Seat
Whitesburg
2020 Population
21,465
Area
338 mi²
Density
59 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
-6.74% (-1,446)
Founded
1842

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White20,95097.49%
Two or more races2981.39%
Black or African American1410.66%
Other race500.23%
Asian430.2%
Native American80.04%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander00%

White

Two or more races

Black or African American

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Letcher County, Kentucky Population by Race

Letcher County, Kentucky Population Pyramid 2024

Letcher County, Kentucky Median Age

42.7

Total

41.2

Male

45.3

Female

Letcher County, Kentucky Adults

There are 16,874 adults, (4,323 of whom are seniors) in Letcher County, Kentucky.

Letcher County, Kentucky Age Dependency

71.2

Age Dependency Ratio

34.4

Old Age Dependency Ratio

36.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Letcher County, Kentucky Sex Ratio

Female10,78850.2%
Male10,70249.8%

Letcher County, Kentucky Population by Age

Letcher County, Kentucky Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All8,4152.527426
Married4,1093.2181.718.3
Non Family2,9201.2465.734.3
Female8323.3665.934.1
Male5542.857426

3.1

Average Family Size

2.52

Average Household Size

74.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Letcher County, Kentucky Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade1,75111.39%
Associates Degree1,5069.79%
Bachelors Degree1,1347.37%
Graduate Degree8795.72%
High School Graduate5,53736.01%
Less Than 9th Grade1,4879.67%
Some College3,08320.05%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Letcher County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Letcher County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White14,92811,7161,924
2+ Races2142046
Black10110152
Hispanic83690
Other Race50500
Asian363431
Native American880

The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 100%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 86.11%.

Letcher County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$47,756$56,429$35,903
Graduate Degree$58,371$60,313$58,258
High School Graduate$26,540$41,836$20,000
Less Than 9th Grade$22,371$37,893$15,000
Overall$33,912$40,358$28,826
Some College$33,667$38,102$31,404

$33,912

Average Earnings

$40,358

Average Male

$28,826

Average Female

Letcher County, Kentucky Earnings by Educational Attainment

Letcher County, Kentucky Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Letcher County, Kentucky Language

98.72% of Letcher County, Kentucky residents speak only English, while 1.28% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 0.69% of the population.

Letcher County, Kentucky Language

Letcher County, Kentucky Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White20,2815,76328.42%
Multiple29212643.15%
Hispanic1997336.68%
Black1356648.89%
Other5050100%
Asian4349.3%

29.01%

Overall Poverty Rate

27.39%

Male Poverty Rate

30.58%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Letcher County, Kentucky

The race most likely to be in poverty in Letcher County, Kentucky is Other, with 100% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Letcher County, Kentucky is Asian, with 9.3% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.43%. Among those working part-time, it was 28.5%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 39.15%.

Letcher County, Kentucky Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade46.47%
High School25.74%
Some College17.82%
Bachelors or Greater13.57%

Letcher County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed72.56%
Male Unemployed58.06%
Male Employed13.31%
Female Employed9.67%

Letcher County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Letcher County, Kentucky Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$52,578$64,231
Households$38,466$55,991
Married Families$59,427$-999,999,999
Non Families$20,876$39,100

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Letcher County, Kentucky Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

49.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

49.6%

Male Marriage Rate

49.0%

Female Marriage Rate

Letcher County, Kentucky Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Letcher County, Kentucky Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is Over 65, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Letcher County, Kentucky Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Letcher County, Kentucky Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

949

Number of Veterans

947

Male Veterans

2

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam424
First Gulf War161
Second Gulf War121
Korea60
World War II2

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74379
35 to 54293
75+181
55 to 6496
18 to 340

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White8995.48%
2+ Races4819.75%
Asian25.56%

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Race

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

11.11%

Veteran Poverty Rate

57.8%

Veteran Disability Rate

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

43.6%

Labor Force Participation

40.2%

Employment Rate

7.7%

Unemployment Rate

Letcher County, Kentucky Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Letcher County, Kentucky Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Letcher County, Kentucky Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

83.08%

Born in Letcher County, Kentucky

99.57%

Native Born

0.43%

Foreign Born

0.05%

Non Citizen

0.38%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99.57% of Letcher County, Kentucky residents were born in the United States, with 83.08% having been born in Kentucky. 0.05% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Europe.

Letcher County, Kentucky Place of Birth

Sources