Whitley County, Kentucky Population 2024

36,742

Whitley County, Kentucky's estimated 2024 population is 36,742 with a growth rate of -0.23% in the past year according to the most recent United States census data. Whitley County, Kentucky is the 28th largest county in Kentucky. The 2010 population was 35,718 and has seen a growth of 2.87% since that time.

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202936,327-83-0.23%
202836,410-83-0.23%
202736,493-83-0.23%
202636,576-83-0.23%
202536,659-83-0.23%
202436,742-83-0.23%
202336,825-83-0.22%
202236,9081470.4%
202136,761630.17%
202036,6983360.92%
201936,3621660.46%
201836,196610.17%
201736,135190.05%
201636,116-27-0.07%
201536,1432790.78%
201435,864-28-0.08%
201335,8921080.3%
201235,784-79-0.22%
201135,8631450.41%
201035,71800%
199033,326-70-0.21%
198033,3969,25138.31%
197024,145-1,670-6.47%
196025,815-6,125-19.18%
195031,940-1,246-3.75%
194033,1863,45611.62%
193029,7301,9817.14%
192027,749-4,233-13.24%
191031,9826,96727.85%
190025,0157,42542.21%
189017,5905,59046.58%
188012,0003,72244.96%
18708,2785166.65%
18607,7623154.23%
18507,4472,77459.36%
18404,67386722.78%
18303,8061,46662.65%
18202,340-33,987-93.56%
2024 Growth Rate
-0.23% (-83)
County Website
Whitley County
County Seat
Williamsburg
2020 Population
36,698
Area
438 mi²
Density
84 people/mi²
Growth Since 2020
0.12% (44)
Founded
January 17, 1818

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White35,22296.11%
Two or more races7151.95%
Black or African American3290.9%
Other race2390.65%
Asian930.25%
Native American500.14%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander00%

White

Two or more races

Black or African American

Other race

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Whitley County, Kentucky Population by Race

Whitley County, Kentucky Population Pyramid 2024

Whitley County, Kentucky Median Age

36.1

Total

34.4

Male

37.5

Female

Whitley County, Kentucky Adults

There are 27,308 adults, (5,764 of whom are seniors) in Whitley County, Kentucky.

Whitley County, Kentucky Age Dependency

70.1

Age Dependency Ratio

26.8

Old Age Dependency Ratio

43.4

Child Dependency Ratio

Whitley County, Kentucky Sex Ratio

Female18,53450.57%
Male18,11449.43%

Whitley County, Kentucky Population by Age

Whitley County, Kentucky Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All13,0762.6766.733.3
Married6,9293.277624
Non Family3,9121.3259.240.8
Female1,5653.375149
Male6702.6350.349.7

3.13

Average Family Size

2.67

Average Household Size

66.7%

Rate of Home Ownership

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

owner

renter

Whitley County, Kentucky Households and Families

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade2,67911.56%
Associates Degree1,2505.39%
Bachelors Degree2,1809.4%
Graduate Degree2,1579.31%
High School Graduate9,12839.38%
Less Than 9th Grade1,4786.38%
Some College4,30818.58%

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

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

Whitley County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White22,39418,3644,176
2+ Races373286115
Hispanic21920131
Other Race14012611
Black1131020
Asian565135
Native American43330

The highest rate of high school graduation is among hispanic people with a rate of 91.78%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among asian people with a rate of 62.5%.

Whitley County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$39,890$45,979$31,250
Graduate Degree$63,254$79,018$56,838
High School Graduate$26,433$37,731$21,394
Less Than 9th Grade$22,873$0$23,240
Overall$32,895$42,066$27,033
Some College$31,354$42,661$24,119

$32,895

Average Earnings

$42,066

Average Male

$27,033

Average Female

Whitley County, Kentucky Earnings by Educational Attainment

Whitley County, Kentucky Language by Age

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Whitley County, Kentucky Language

98.96% of Whitley County, Kentucky residents speak only English, while 1.04% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other Indo-European, which is spoken by 0.39% of the population.

Whitley County, Kentucky Language

Whitley County, Kentucky Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White33,4937,83723.4%
Other23017274.78%
Hispanic50415230.16%
Multiple65812519%
Native451533.33%
Black1211310.74%

23.49%

Overall Poverty Rate

21.46%

Male Poverty Rate

25.49%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Whitley County, Kentucky

The race most likely to be in poverty in Whitley County, Kentucky is Other, with 74.78% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Whitley County, Kentucky is Black, with 10.74% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.11%. Among those working part-time, it was 28.24%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 36.55%.

Whitley County, Kentucky Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade38.27%
High School26.3%
Some College21.4%
Bachelors or Greater2.07%

Whitley County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed46.49%
Male Unemployed41.99%
Male Employed9.77%
Female Employed9.67%

Whitley County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Whitley County, Kentucky Income by Household Type

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$53,387$70,467
Households$44,332$61,934
Married Families$65,677$-999,999,999
Non Families$19,547$37,987

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Whitley County, Kentucky Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

49.7%

Overall Marriage Rate

49.1%

Male Marriage Rate

50.4%

Female Marriage Rate

Whitley County, Kentucky Married by Age and Sex

male

female

Whitley County, Kentucky Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 45-54.

Whitley County, Kentucky Marital Status by Race

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Whitley County, Kentucky Marital Status

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

1,493

Number of Veterans

1,405

Male Veterans

88

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam623
Second Gulf War305
First Gulf War249
Korea61
World War II8

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
65 to 74423
75+384
35 to 54314
18 to 34206
55 to 64166

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,4375.48%
Native American2858.33%
Hispanic277.83%
Black144.7%
Other Race147.87%

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Race

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

16.66%

Veteran Poverty Rate

43.22%

Veteran Disability Rate

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

50.4%

Labor Force Participation

47.1%

Employment Rate

6.4%

Unemployment Rate

Whitley County, Kentucky Employment by Age

LaborForceParticipation

Whitley County, Kentucky Employment by Race

LaborForceParticipation

Whitley 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

63.33%

Born in Whitley County, Kentucky

99.36%

Native Born

0.64%

Foreign Born

0.41%

Non Citizen

0.23%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99.36% of Whitley County, Kentucky residents were born in the United States, with 63.33% having been born in Kentucky. 0.41% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.

Whitley County, Kentucky Place of Birth

Sources