McCreary County, Kentucky Population 2024

17,317

McCreary County, Kentucky's estimated 2024 population is 17,317 with a growth rate of 1.57% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. McCreary County, Kentucky is the 67th largest county in Kentucky. The 2010 population was 18,328 and has seen a growth of -5.52% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202918,6522671.45%
202818,3852671.47%
202718,1182671.5%
202617,8512671.52%
202517,5842671.54%
202417,3172671.57%
202317,0502671.59%
202216,783-21-0.12%
202116,804-36-0.21%
202016,840-420-2.43%
201917,260-67-0.39%
201817,327-94-0.54%
201717,421-167-0.95%
201617,588-314-1.75%
201517,902-31-0.17%
201417,933-5-0.03%
201317,938-124-0.69%
201218,062-228-1.25%
201118,290-38-0.21%
201018,32800%
199015,603-31-0.2%
198015,6343,08624.59%
197012,548850.68%
196012,463-4,197-25.19%
195016,6602091.27%
194016,4511,82412.47%
193014,6272,95125.27%
192011,676-6,976-37.4%
2024 Growth Rate
1.57% (267)
County Website
McCreary County
County Seat
Whitley City
2020 Population
16,840
Area
427 mi²
Density
41 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
2.83% (477)
Founded
1912

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White15,24790.26%
Black or African American1,1706.93%
Two or more races3802.25%
Asian380.22%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander240.14%
Other race210.12%
Native American120.07%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Other race

Native American

McCreary County, Kentucky Population by Race

McCreary County, Kentucky Population Pyramid 2024

McCreary County, Kentucky Median Age

39.2

Total

38.9

Male

39.9

Female

McCreary County, Kentucky Adults

There are 13,206 adults, (2,713 of whom are seniors) in McCreary County, Kentucky.

McCreary County, Kentucky Age Dependency

61

Age Dependency Ratio

25.9

Old Age Dependency Ratio

35.1

Child Dependency Ratio

McCreary County, Kentucky Sex Ratio

Female7,66345.36%
Male9,22954.64%

McCreary County, Kentucky Population by Age

McCreary County, Kentucky Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All5,5102.747030
Married2,7053.478515
Non Family2,0491.2355.144.9
Male4263.8858.741.3
Female3304.6355.244.8

3.48

Average Family Size

2.74

Average Household Size

70.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

McCreary County, Kentucky Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade1,41811.99%
Associates Degree1,1539.75%
Bachelors Degree4453.76%
Graduate Degree3593.04%
High School Graduate5,15043.55%
Less Than 9th Grade1,18610.03%
Some College2,11517.88%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

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

McCreary County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White10,5118,234753
Black9337220
Hispanic2331280
2+ Races14113024
Asian272727
Other Race2100
Native American1200
Islander440

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

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 100%.

McCreary County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$37,379$36,935$0
Graduate Degree$54,081$85,822$0
High School Graduate$30,417$33,083$28,901
Less Than 9th Grade$14,464$0$0
Overall$30,309$34,433$27,164
Some College$28,878$48,580$23,108

$30,309

Average Earnings

$34,433

Average Male

$27,164

Average Female

McCreary County, Kentucky Earnings by Educational Attainment

McCreary County, Kentucky Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

McCreary County, Kentucky Language

98.21% of McCreary County, Kentucky residents speak only English, while 1.79% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.33% of the population.

McCreary County, Kentucky Language

McCreary County, Kentucky Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White14,5334,76432.78%
Black26719372.28%
Multiple37211029.57%
Hispanic8484100%
Other2121100%
Islander242083.33%
Native1212100%

33.65%

Overall Poverty Rate

33.39%

Male Poverty Rate

33.93%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in McCreary County, Kentucky

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

The race least likely to be in poverty in McCreary County, Kentucky is Multiple, with 29.57% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 7.32%. Among those working part-time, it was 32.49%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 46.65%.

McCreary County, Kentucky Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade60.28%
High School25.25%
Some College22.86%
Bachelors or Greater12.61%

McCreary County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed48.05%
Female Unemployed38.24%
Male Employed16.2%
Female Employed11.5%

McCreary County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

McCreary County, Kentucky Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$41,797$57,079
Households$35,000$46,836
Married Families$46,442$-999,999,999
Non Families$15,885$26,945

mean

median

Income by Household Type

McCreary County, Kentucky Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

43.7%

Overall Marriage Rate

42.0%

Male Marriage Rate

45.9%

Female Marriage Rate

McCreary County, Kentucky Married by Age and Sex

male

female

McCreary 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.

McCreary County, Kentucky Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

McCreary County, Kentucky Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

932

Number of Veterans

920

Male Veterans

12

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam349
First Gulf War228
Second Gulf War186
Korea28
World War II17

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74343
35 to 54273
75+161
55 to 6498
18 to 3457

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White8297.03%
Black655.71%
2+ Races3819.39%
Hispanic239.7%

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Race

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

22.62%

Veteran Poverty Rate

58.6%

Veteran Disability Rate

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

38.1%

Labor Force Participation

36%

Employment Rate

5.6%

Unemployment Rate

McCreary County, Kentucky Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

McCreary County, Kentucky Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

McCreary 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

65.52%

Born in McCreary County, Kentucky

99.28%

Native Born

0.72%

Foreign Born

0.35%

Non Citizen

0.37%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99.28% of McCreary County, Kentucky residents were born in the United States, with 65.52% having been born in Kentucky. 0.35% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Africa.

McCreary County, Kentucky Place of Birth

Sources