County-level Census Bureau data covering income, housing, demographics, education, employment, and more. Counties are the primary administrative division in the U.S. and the most common unit for comparing local conditions across a state.
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).
Quick Facts — Harlan County
- What is the median household income in Harlan County?
- The median household income in Harlan County is $37,198 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
- What is the poverty rate in Harlan County?
- The poverty rate in Harlan County is 22.2% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the median home value in Harlan County?
- $73,100 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What is the average rent in Harlan County?
- The median gross rent in Harlan County is $651 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
- What percentage of Harlan County residents have a college degree?
- 12.7% of adults in Harlan County hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
Population
26,185
Median Income
$37,198
Median Home Value
$73,100
Poverty Rate
22.2%
Unemployment (ACS 2023)
11.0%
Median Age
41.0 yrs
Since 2019
Median Income:
+$10,720 (+40.5%)
Home Value:
+$12,800 (+21.2%)
Poverty Rate:
-10.3 pp (-31.7%)
Bachelor's+:
+1.9 pp (+17.6%)
Unemployment:
-0.2 pp (-1.8%)
Demographics
Total Population
26,185
Median Age
41.0
Female
51.8%
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino 0.2%
White (non-Hisp.) 94.2%
Black 1.5%
Asian 0.2%
Two or More 3.6%
Other 0.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Income & Poverty
Median Household Income
$37,198
±$3,833
-$25,219 vs. state
Per Capita Income
$56,446
Median Family Income
$51,342
Poverty Rate
22.2%
+10.4 pp vs. state
Child Poverty Rate
30.9%
Working-Age Poverty Rate
—
SNAP Recipients
27.2%
Social Security Income
—
Retirement Income
26.2%
Household Income Distribution
< $10k
10.0%
$10–15k
10.2%
$15–25k
15.4%
$25–35k
11.2%
$35–50k
13.2%
$50–75k
18.0%
$75–100k
8.4%
$100–150k
10.1%
$150–200k
1.4%
$200k+
2.3%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Housing
Total Housing Units
13,012
Owner-Occupied
70.8%
Renter-Occupied
29.2%
Vacancy Rate
19.3%
Median Home Value
$73,100
-$119,200 vs. state
Median Gross Rent
$651
Owner Cost Burden (30%+)
18.9%
Renter Cost Burden (30%+)
41.1%
Home Value Distribution
< $50k
28.3%
$50–100k
36.1%
$100–200k
12.9%
$200–300k
8.2%
$300–500k
2.4%
$500k–$1M
1.2%
Gross Rent Distribution
< $500
27.0%
$500–1k
63.7%
$1–1.5k
9.1%
$1.5–2k
0.2%
$3.5k+
0.1%
Vehicle Availability
No vehicle
8.8%
1 vehicle
34.0%
2 vehicles
33.3%
3+
23.8%
Housing Type
Single-fam. det.
66.3%
Single-fam. att.
1.3%
2–4 units
2.0%
5–19 units
4.7%
20+ units
0.9%
Mobile home
20.2%
Housing Age
Pre-1940
15.4%
1940–1969
6.4%
1970–1999
19.5%
2000–2009
10.0%
2010+
4.6%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Education
High School or Higher
79.2%
Bachelor's or Higher
12.7%
-14.3 pp vs. state
Graduate Degree
6.5%
Some College / Associate
21.3%
Less Than High School
8.5%
Enrolled in School
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Employment
Labor Force Participation
40.2%
Unemployment Rate
11.0%
+6.2 pp vs. state
Work from Home
5.7%
Self-Employed
5.6%
Government Workers
21.7%
Private For-Profit
72.1%
Industry
Edu/Health
32.7%
Retail
14.0%
Public Admin
9.0%
Construction
6.3%
Agriculture
5.9%
Manufacturing
5.7%
Arts/Entmt.
5.1%
Transportation
4.9%
Prof. Services
4.5%
Finance
3.0%
Wholesale
1.8%
Information
1.6%
Occupation
Management
32.2%
Sales
22.9%
Food Prep
20.5%
Production
12.5%
Construction
11.9%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Commute
Median Travel Time
23.5 min
Drove Alone
74.9%
Carpool
16.7%
Public Transit
0.6%
Work from Home
5.7%
Walked
1.6%
Bicycle
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Households & Families
Total Households
10,500
Avg. Household Size
2.00
Avg. Family Size
—
Married-Couple Households
48.2%
Single-Mother Households
—
Single-Father Households
—
Living Alone
—
Households with Children
15.5%
Multigenerational
—
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Age Distribution
Under 5
6.0%
5–9
6.2%
10–14
7.3%
15–19
5.9%
20–24
4.7%
25–34
12.3%
35–44
11.8%
45–54
12.6%
55–64
6.4%
65–74
7.7%
75–84
12.2%
85+
5.3%
Under 18: 23.6%
Working age (18–64): 76.4%
65 and over: 19.2%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Social Characteristics
Immigration
Foreign Born
0.2%
Naturalized Citizen
64.4%
Speaks English Less Than Very Well
0.2%
Foreign-Born Origin
Asia
47.5%
Latin America
32.2%
Europe
20.3%
Veterans & Disability
Veteran
6.1%
With a Disability
27.3%
Cognitive Difficulty
—
Ambulatory Difficulty
—
Health Insurance
Insured
95.3%
Uninsured
4.7%
Employer Insurance
—
Medicaid
—
Medicare
—
Technology & Mobility
Broadband Internet
82.0%
Has a Computer
87.7%
Same House 1 Year Ago
89.3%
Moved from Abroad
0.4%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023
Compare Harlan County
Compare to another county →Where People Move From (IRS Migration Data)
Top origins of people who moved to Harlan County in 2023, by number of tax returns filed (IRS SOI Migration Data).
| Origin | Tax Returns | People (est.) |
|---|---|---|
| Other flows - South | 74 | 139 |
| Other flows - Midwest | 22 | 46 |