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)
White15,23390.11%
Black or African American1,1606.86%
Two or more races4522.67%
Other race230.14%
Native American190.11%
Asian90.05%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander90.05%

White

Black or African American

Two or more races

Other race

Native American

Asian

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

McCreary County, Kentucky Population by Race

McCreary County, Kentucky Population Pyramid 2024

McCreary County, Kentucky Median Age

38.7

Total

38.6

Male

38.9

Female

McCreary County, Kentucky Adults

There are 13,213 adults, (2,717 of whom are seniors) in McCreary County, Kentucky.

McCreary County, Kentucky Age Dependency

61.1

Age Dependency Ratio

25.9

Old Age Dependency Ratio

35.2

Child Dependency Ratio

McCreary County, Kentucky Sex Ratio

Female7,68645.47%
Male9,21954.53%

McCreary County, Kentucky Population by Age

McCreary County, Kentucky Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All5,5952.6974.425.6
Married2,6023.5287.412.6
Non Family2,0061.1761.638.4
Female4983.763.336.7
Male4893.4469.330.7

3.39

Average Family Size

2.69

Average Household Size

74.4%

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 Grade1,56613.16%
Associates Degree1,0989.23%
Bachelors Degree6305.29%
Graduate Degree4573.84%
High School Graduate4,75939.99%
Less Than 9th Grade1,1169.38%
Some College2,27419.11%

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
White10,4698,2441,083
Black1,0037140
Hispanic2491253
2+ Races1991574
Other Race2300
Native American1900

The highest rate of high school graduation is among 2+ races people with a rate of 78.89%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 10.34%.

McCreary County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$39,250$39,147$0
Graduate Degree$47,984$80,156$32,019
High School Graduate$33,185$36,236$29,140
Less Than 9th Grade$16,719$20,417$0
Overall$31,358$37,155$28,258
Some College$29,135$42,643$23,488

$31,358

Average Earnings

$37,155

Average Male

$28,258

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

98.48% of McCreary County, Kentucky residents speak only English, while 1.52% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 1.27% of the population.

McCreary County, Kentucky Language

McCreary County, Kentucky Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White14,5595,04434.65%
Black17613275%
Multiple44012027.27%
Hispanic8080100%
Other2323100%
Islander99100%
Native88100%

35.14%

Overall Poverty Rate

35.07%

Male Poverty Rate

35.22%

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 27.27% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.38%. Among those working part-time, it was 36.79%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 50.14%.

McCreary County, Kentucky Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade60.46%
High School31.46%
Some College27.16%
Bachelors or Greater9.76%

McCreary County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed54.9%
Male Unemployed45.31%
Female Employed13.99%
Male Employed10.55%

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$41,729$55,332
Households$37,355$47,136
Married Families$46,929$-999,999,999
Non Families$16,400$28,783

mean

median

Income by Household Type

McCreary County, Kentucky Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

41.7%

Overall Marriage Rate

38.5%

Male Marriage Rate

45.8%

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

700

Number of Veterans

682

Male Veterans

18

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam317
First Gulf War138
Second Gulf War85
Korea27
World War II16

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74267
35 to 54151
75+131
55 to 64123
18 to 3428

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White6345.4%
Black393.43%
2+ Races279.41%
Hispanic187.11%

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Race

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

29.9%

Veteran Poverty Rate

65.76%

Veteran Disability Rate

McCreary County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

36.8%

Labor Force Participation

35.9%

Employment Rate

2.3%

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

66.22%

Born in McCreary County, Kentucky

99.5%

Native Born

0.5%

Foreign Born

0.18%

Non Citizen

0.32%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99.5% of McCreary County, Kentucky residents were born in the United States, with 66.22% having been born in Kentucky. 0.18% 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