Owsley County, Kentucky Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Owsley 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 Owsley County, Kentucky. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Owsley County, Kentucky. The estimated population of Owsley County, Kentucky is 4,094 people, with a median age of 48.4.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
4,094
 -7.29% -8.96%
2020
4,416
 -0.59% -
2019
4,442
 -0.47% -
2018
4,463
 -0.76% -
2017
4,497
 - -

Population of Owsley 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
89.7%
94.2%
 -4.78%
Black/African American
2%
4.1%
 -51.22%
Native
0%
0.3%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
0%
0.5%
 -100.00%
Asian
0.2%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
6.6%
0.3%
 +2,100.00%
Other
1.4%
0.5%
 +180.00%

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 Owsley 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 48.4 +2.54% 45 +4.41% 50.5 +4.99%
2020 47.2 +8.76% 43.1 +8.84% 48.1 +4.11%
2019 43.4 +2.12% 39.6 0% 46.2 +4.29%
2018 42.5 +1.67% 39.6 +1.28% 44.3 +2.78%
2017 41.8 - 39.1 - 43.1 -

The median age of Owsley 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 9 224 6.49% 305 -19.21% 223 221
10 to 19 250 +37.55% 251 -32.01% 331 163
20 to 29 277 -27.85% 268 -40.49% 187 167
30 to 39 296 -37.94% 331 -45.24% 196 199
40 to 49 184 +24.41% 315 -10.64% 227 279
50 to 59 316 -32.57% 403 -14.77% 223 344
60 to 69 210 +63.6% 329 +44.56% 367 491
70+ 198 +5.17% 340 -22.02% 208 268

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Owsley County, Kentucky is $29,340.00.

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 Owsley County.

  • Under 25
    $25,556.00
  • 25 to 44
    $53,750.00
  • 45 to 64
    $32,500.00
  • 65 and over
    $25,887.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Owsley 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 Owsley County, Kentucky is currently $44,426.00.

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.

0.00% of households in Owsley 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 Owsley County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    42.74%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    27.33%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    9.66%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    8.70%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10.00%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1.58%
  • $200,000 or more
    0.00%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Owsley County is $18,097.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Owsley 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 Owsley 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
    7.42%
  • Bachelor's degree
    14.49%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    5.36%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    68.27%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.46%

Employment

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

The total population of Owsley County over the age of 16 is 3,410.

Of those people, a total of 36.50% 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 Owsley County is 30.70%.

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 254 31.10% 36.70%
20 to 24 years 171 59.60% 48.00%
25 to 29 years 183 85.20% 17.30%
30 to 34 years 132 84.80% 0.00%
35 to 44 years 372 54.60% 15.80%
45 to 54 years 674 39.00% 22.10%
55 to 59 years 290 19.00% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 412 25.00% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 619 26.20% 0.00%
75 years and over 303 2.60% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Owsley 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 3,298 36.80% 16.00%
Black or African American 0 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 9 100.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 0 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 103 18.40% 0.00%
Hispanic or Latino 0 0.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 3,298 36.80% 16.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Owsley 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 Owsley County is 1,048, with median earnings of $27,976.00.

Women in Owsley County, Kentucky earning approximately 60.90% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 1,048 $27,976.00
Male 602 $36,625.00
Female 446 $22,308.00

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 76 $21,667.00
Business and Financial 44 $17,292.00
Computer and Mathematical 8 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 40 $41,000.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 81 $43,393.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 51 $47,292.00
Healthcare Support 31 $35,347.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 14 $0.00
Law Enforcement 57 $44,625.00
Food Preparation and Serving 100 $11,444.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 45 $17,446.00
Personal Care and Service 37 $24,018.00
Sales 41 $16,964.00
Office and Administrative Support 93 $29,219.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 113 $57,431.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 52 $53,864.00
Production 48 $38,333.00
Transportation and Material Moving 57 $14,375.00

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 41 $48,750.00 35 $19,402.00
Business and Financial 0 $0.00 44 $17,292.00
Computer and Mathematical 8 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 2 $0.00 38 $41,083.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 28 $51,786.00 53 $35,893.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 33 $47,292.00 18 $33,750.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 31 $35,347.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 14 $0.00 0 $0.00
Law Enforcement 54 $44,250.00 3 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 31 $0.00 69 $0.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 32 $16,739.00 13 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 23 $0.00 14 $0.00
Sales 19 $0.00 22 $0.00
Office and Administrative Support 24 $29,688.00 69 $26,964.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 113 $57,431.00 0 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 52 $53,864.00 0 $0.00
Production 23 $0.00 25 $0.00
Transportation and Material Moving 57 $14,375.00 0 $0.00

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 1,460 households in Owsley County, with an average household size of 2.75 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 895 families in Owsley County with an average family size of 3.4 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 590 117 188 565
Average Household Size 3.07 3.48 6.06 1.16
Total Families 590 117 188 0
Average Household Size 2.95 2.47 5.36 0

Poverty

Of the 895 families in Owsley County, 19.30% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Owsley 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 1,965 housing units in Owsley County, Kentucky.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 1,460 74.30%
Vacant 505 25.70%

16.54% of the total 1,965 housing units in Owsley County are rental units. This is approximately 325 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 971 are occupied by the owner - or 49.41% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Owsley County is $343.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Owsley 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
    164
  • Less than $500
    186
  • $500 to $999
    139
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    0
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Owsley County is $69,600.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    348
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    354
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    104
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    77
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    77
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    11
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    0
  • $1,000,000 or more
    0

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    102
  • 1940 to 1949
    96
  • 1950 to 1959
    116
  • 1960 to 1969
    158
  • 1970 to 1979
    398
  • 1980 to 1989
    323
  • 1990 to 1999
    297
  • 2000 to 2009
    386
  • 2010 to 2013
    89
  • 2014 or later
    0

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 Owsley County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    133
  • 1 vehicle available
    564
  • 2 vehicles available
    310
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    453

Commuting to Work

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

36.5 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Owsley 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
    80
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    127
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    131
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    195
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    27
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    37
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    7
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    56
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    5
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    130
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    58
  • 90 or more minutes
    148

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Owsley 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 Owsley County, Kentucky

We have data for 4 places in Owsley County, Kentucky. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.