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)
White20,57397.29%
Two or more races3041.44%
Black or African American1570.74%
Other race610.29%
Asian450.21%
Native American60.03%
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

43.3

Total

41.2

Male

45.7

Female

Letcher County, Kentucky Adults

There are 16,568 adults, (4,346 of whom are seniors) in Letcher County, Kentucky.

Letcher County, Kentucky Age Dependency

73

Age Dependency Ratio

35.6

Old Age Dependency Ratio

37.5

Child Dependency Ratio

Letcher County, Kentucky Sex Ratio

Female10,59850.12%
Male10,54849.88%

Letcher County, Kentucky Population by Age

Letcher County, Kentucky Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All8,3672.4972.627.4
Married4,0843.1679.920.1
Non Family2,8021.36634
Female8822.9862.537.5
Male5992.7568.631.4

3.01

Average Family Size

2.49

Average Household Size

72.6%

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 Grade1,66410.96%
Associates Degree1,59710.52%
Bachelors Degree1,0406.85%
Graduate Degree1,0356.82%
High School Graduate5,26334.68%
Less Than 9th Grade1,4019.23%
Some College3,17620.93%

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
White14,69911,6932,009
2+ Races22618721
Black11311325
Hispanic85703
Other Race61610
Asian312817
Native American640

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 54.84%.

Letcher County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$50,833$58,382$44,939
Graduate Degree$60,220$70,625$59,634
High School Graduate$26,232$39,844$20,861
Less Than 9th Grade$28,194$29,683$12,043
Overall$36,143$41,301$33,015
Some College$34,621$37,782$33,177

$36,143

Average Earnings

$41,301

Average Male

$33,015

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

99.12% of Letcher County, Kentucky residents speak only English, while 0.88% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 0.38% of the population.

Letcher County, Kentucky Language

Letcher County, Kentucky Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White20,0205,25326.24%
Multiple3048226.97%
Black1488054.05%
Other6161100%
Hispanic1595232.7%
Asian45920%
Native6233.33%

26.76%

Overall Poverty Rate

25.86%

Male Poverty Rate

27.65%

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 20% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 7.74%. Among those working part-time, it was 23.46%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 34.38%.

Letcher County, Kentucky Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade46.2%
High School22.45%
Some College16.43%
Bachelors or Greater9.41%

Letcher County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Male Unemployed46.52%
Female Unemployed44.06%
Male Employed13.77%
Female Employed10.19%

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$54,588$67,902
Households$40,501$57,823
Married Families$61,641$-999,999,999
Non Families$22,415$36,403

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Letcher County, Kentucky Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

49.9%

Overall Marriage Rate

52.3%

Male Marriage Rate

47.5%

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

960

Number of Veterans

945

Male Veterans

15

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam473
First Gulf War156
Second Gulf War122
Korea35
World War II2

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74416
35 to 54231
75+213
55 to 64100
18 to 340

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White9085.65%
2+ Races5019.92%
Hispanic66.52%
Asian26.45%

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Race

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

6.46%

Veteran Poverty Rate

59.96%

Veteran Disability Rate

Letcher County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

43.2%

Labor Force Participation

40.6%

Employment Rate

5.8%

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

85.13%

Born in Letcher County, Kentucky

99.56%

Native Born

0.44%

Foreign Born

0.07%

Non Citizen

0.37%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99.56% of Letcher County, Kentucky residents were born in the United States, with 85.13% having been born in Kentucky. 0.07% 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