McCracken County, Kentucky Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for McCracken County, Kentucky, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in McCracken County, Kentucky. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in McCracken County, Kentucky. The estimated population of McCracken County, Kentucky is 67,394 people, with a median age of 42.4.

We can look at the total population in McCracken County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
67,394
+2.92%
+3.23%
2020
65,485
+0.33%
-
2019
65,268
 -0.02% -
2018
65,284
 -0% -
2017
65,285
 - -

Population of McCracken County, Kentucky by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
82.6%
83.6%
 -1.20%
Black/African American
10.4%
11.1%
 -6.31%
Native
0.2%
0.2%
 0.00%
Hispanic
2.7%
2.4%
 +12.50%
Asian
1%
0.7%
 +42.86%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.9%
1.9%
 +52.63%
Other
0.2%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of McCracken County, Kentucky by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 42.4 +0.24% 40.8 +0.74% 43.7 -0.68%
2020 42.3 +0.24% 40.5 -0.25% 44 +0.69%
2019 42.2 +0.24% 40.6 0% 43.7 -0.23%
2018 42.1 0% 40.6 -0.73% 43.8 +0.23%
2017 42.1 - 40.9 - 43.7 -

The median age of McCracken County, Kentucky gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 3,854 +13.28% 3,792 +1.22% 4,385 3,830
10 to 19 4,045 0.059999999999999% 3,982 +4.76% 4,038 4,152
20 to 29 3,674 +3.01% 3,742 +3.72% 3,785 3,883
30 to 39 3,543 +5.32% 3,993 -1.28% 3,734 3,942
40 to 49 4,291 +2.12% 4,152 +6.2% 4,372 4,412
50 to 59 4,455 -7.43% 5,123 -13.77% 4,124 4,445
60 to 69 4,027 +7.98% 4,249 +17.59% 4,354 5,046
70+ 3,280 +10.96% 5,083 +3.07% 3,654 5,238

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of McCracken County, Kentucky is $53,366.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for McCracken County.

  • Under 25
    $33,059.00
  • 25 to 44
    $56,850.00
  • 45 to 64
    $66,853.00
  • 65 and over
    $39,118.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in McCracken County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in McCracken County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of McCracken County, Kentucky is currently $76,696.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

5.03% of households in McCracken County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of McCracken County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    24.15%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    23.41%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    17.60%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    12.01%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    12.82%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    4.99%
  • $200,000 or more
    5.03%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in McCracken County is $31,923.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of McCracken County by the total population of McCracken County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in McCracken County, Kentucky, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in McCracken County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    11.87%
  • Bachelor's degree
    27.96%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    13.01%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    46.06%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.10%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in McCracken County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of McCracken County over the age of 16 is 53,900.

Of those people, a total of 56.90% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in McCracken County is 54.60%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 2,911 57.50% 6.50%
20 to 24 years 3,685 71.10% 4.80%
25 to 29 years 3,983 85.50% 5.60%
30 to 34 years 4,001 77.80% 5.90%
35 to 44 years 8,213 79.70% 4.20%
45 to 54 years 8,354 75.60% 2.70%
55 to 59 years 4,461 61.90% 1.60%
60 to 64 years 4,928 47.20% 3.30%
65 to 74 years 7,677 20.70% 1.30%
75 years and over 5,687 5.50% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in McCracken County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 46,234 56.80% 3.30%
Black or African American 5,441 52.50% 9.70%
American Indian and Alaska Native 147 58.50% 14.00%
Asian 485 91.30% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 8 100.00% 0.00%
Other 230 51.30% 0.00%
Two or more races 1,355 66.60% 4.70%
Hispanic or Latino 1,159 62.80% 11.80%
Not Hispanic or Latino 45,665 56.80% 3.10%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in McCracken County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in McCracken County is 29,431, with median earnings of $33,173.00.

Women in McCracken County, Kentucky earning approximately 62.70% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 29,431 $33,173.00
Male 14,717 $43,880.00
Female 14,714 $27,508.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 2,439 $64,912.00
Business and Financial 1,062 $65,833.00
Computer and Mathematical 554 $59,324.00
Architecture and Engineering 294 $101,136.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 238 $50,000.00
Community and Social Service 626 $37,325.00
Legal 338 $135,294.00
Educational and Library 1,760 $29,808.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 680 $31,133.00
Healthcare Practitioners 2,204 $60,299.00
Healthcare Support 947 $30,172.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 342 $41,367.00
Law Enforcement 272 $43,000.00
Food Preparation and Serving 2,392 $12,248.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 886 $17,756.00
Personal Care and Service 770 $20,635.00
Sales 4,150 $22,692.00
Office and Administrative Support 3,514 $28,791.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 42 $41,579.00
Construction and Extraction 1,115 $45,114.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 846 $48,710.00
Production 1,727 $45,761.00
Transportation and Material Moving 894 $29,141.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 1,555 $74,886.00 884 $56,408.00
Business and Financial 460 $73,409.00 602 $51,721.00
Computer and Mathematical 424 $59,527.00 130 $49,674.00
Architecture and Engineering 258 $93,333.00 36 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 126 $70,938.00 112 $39,435.00
Community and Social Service 405 $34,934.00 221 $47,031.00
Legal 230 $137,353.00 108 $34,111.00
Educational and Library 199 $33,533.00 1,561 $29,063.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 388 $30,800.00 292 $32,321.00
Healthcare Practitioners 735 $125,139.00 1,469 $53,492.00
Healthcare Support 122 $27,210.00 825 $30,325.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 228 $58,750.00 114 $12,167.00
Law Enforcement 205 $44,458.00 67 $31,642.00
Food Preparation and Serving 1,020 $13,490.00 1,372 $11,680.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 533 $24,063.00 353 $12,396.00
Personal Care and Service 193 $21,283.00 577 $20,463.00
Sales 1,952 $38,560.00 2,198 $17,604.00
Office and Administrative Support 464 $42,617.00 3,050 $28,127.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 42 $41,579.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 1,083 $45,114.00 32 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 846 $48,710.00 0 $0.00
Production 1,324 $50,704.00 403 $27,829.00
Transportation and Material Moving 763 $41,908.00 131 $18,494.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 27,062 households in McCracken County, with an average household size of 2.44 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 16,938 families in McCracken County with an average family size of 3.09 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 12,771 841 3,326 10,124
Average Household Size 3.07 3.04 3.56 1.24
Total Families 12,771 841 3,326 0
Average Household Size 3.03 2.84 3.38 0

Poverty

Of the 16,938 families in McCracken County, 10.90% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in McCracken County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 32,044 housing units in McCracken County, Kentucky.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 27,062 84.45%
Vacant 4,982 15.55%

27.52% of the total 32,044 housing units in McCracken County are rental units. This is approximately 8,819 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 17,723 are occupied by the owner - or 55.31% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in McCracken County is $777.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in McCracken County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    520
  • Less than $500
    1,517
  • $500 to $999
    5,505
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    1,351
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    230
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    33
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    183

Property Value

The median value of a property in McCracken County is $151,500.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in McCracken County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    2,363
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    3,062
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    3,324
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    3,517
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    2,899
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    1,891
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    539
  • $1,000,000 or more
    128

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in McCracken County. The chart below shows the number of properties in McCracken County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    3,073
  • 1940 to 1949
    1,335
  • 1950 to 1959
    3,631
  • 1960 to 1969
    2,934
  • 1970 to 1979
    6,126
  • 1980 to 1989
    5,460
  • 1990 to 1999
    4,374
  • 2000 to 2009
    3,310
  • 2010 to 2013
    1,767
  • 2014 or later
    34

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in McCracken County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    1,906
  • 1 vehicle available
    9,332
  • 2 vehicles available
    10,207
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    5,617

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in McCracken County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in McCracken County that commute to work in a particular way.

16.8 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in McCracken County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    891
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    4,269
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    9,145
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    5,445
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    3,216
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    922
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    1,557
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    388
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    291
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    660
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    457
  • 90 or more minutes
    346

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for McCracken County, Kentucky in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in McCracken County, Kentucky

We have data for 9 places in McCracken County, Kentucky. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.