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)
White35,20495.78%
Two or more races7662.08%
Black or African American3911.06%
Other race2930.8%
Asian660.18%
Native American350.1%
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

35.4

Total

34.2

Male

36.8

Female

Whitley County, Kentucky Adults

There are 27,177 adults, (5,779 of whom are seniors) in Whitley County, Kentucky.

Whitley County, Kentucky Age Dependency

71.8

Age Dependency Ratio

27

Old Age Dependency Ratio

44.8

Child Dependency Ratio

Whitley County, Kentucky Sex Ratio

Female18,68850.84%
Male18,06749.16%

Whitley County, Kentucky Population by Age

Whitley County, Kentucky Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All13,5702.5866.733.3
Married6,6263.3278.921.1
Non Family4,5081.2859.540.5
Female1,6373.1645.854.2
Male7992.6449.450.6

3.13

Average Family Size

2.58

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 Grade2,2999.94%
Associates Degree1,2725.5%
Bachelors Degree2,1959.49%
Graduate Degree2,38510.32%
High School Graduate9,14539.56%
Less Than 9th Grade1,6076.95%
Some College4,21518.23%

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
White22,32018,5484,470
2+ Races41432192
Hispanic23020730
Other Race15713811
Black1111020
Asian34294
Native American25173

The highest rate of high school graduation is among black people with a rate of 91.89%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among 2+ races people with a rate of 22.22%.

Whitley County, Kentucky Educational Attainment by Race

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$40,971$42,313$36,979
Graduate Degree$65,105$87,901$59,783
High School Graduate$28,556$39,330$24,894
Less Than 9th Grade$16,321$14,485$17,936
Overall$34,528$43,343$28,747
Some College$33,857$48,390$27,615

$34,528

Average Earnings

$43,343

Average Male

$28,747

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

99.17% of Whitley County, Kentucky residents speak only English, while 0.83% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 0.38% of the population.

Whitley County, Kentucky Language

Whitley County, Kentucky Poverty by Race

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White33,4348,27124.74%
Other28324787.28%
Hispanic59821435.79%
Multiple70813018.36%
Black22010648.18%
Native31825.81%

25.05%

Overall Poverty Rate

23.05%

Male Poverty Rate

26.99%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Whitley County, Kentucky

The race most likely to be in poverty in Whitley County, Kentucky is Other, with 87.28% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Whitley County, Kentucky is Multiple, with 18.36% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 3.49%. Among those working part-time, it was 28.5%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 38.68%.

Whitley County, Kentucky Poverty

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade41.87%
High School29.98%
Some College19.56%
Bachelors or Greater2.64%

Whitley County, Kentucky Poverty Rate by Education

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed51.46%
Male Unemployed24.29%
Female Employed11.34%
Male Employed9.11%

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$53,640$71,924
Households$41,719$62,066
Married Families$67,939$-999,999,999
Non Families$25,043$38,755

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Whitley County, Kentucky Marital Status

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

47.6%

Overall Marriage Rate

48.0%

Male Marriage Rate

47.2%

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

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

1,363

Number of Veterans

1,270

Male Veterans

93

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Vietnam477
Second Gulf War356
First Gulf War337
Korea15
World War II0

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by War

count

Age Group
Veterans
35 to 54403
65 to 74359
75+291
18 to 34206
55 to 64104

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Age

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White1,3145.05%
Other Race199.05%
Hispanic194.4%
2+ Races163%
Native American1443.75%

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Race

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

14.26%

Veteran Poverty Rate

42.42%

Veteran Disability Rate

Whitley County, Kentucky Veterans by Education

LaborForceParticipation

51.1%

Labor Force Participation

48.3%

Employment Rate

5.2%

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

64.62%

Born in Whitley County, Kentucky

99.29%

Native Born

0.71%

Foreign Born

0.48%

Non Citizen

0.23%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

99.29% of Whitley County, Kentucky residents were born in the United States, with 64.62% having been born in Kentucky. 0.48% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Europe.

Whitley County, Kentucky Place of Birth

Sources