Wolfe County, Kentucky Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Wolfe 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 Wolfe County, Kentucky. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Wolfe County, Kentucky. The estimated population of Wolfe County, Kentucky is 6,666 people, with a median age of 41.2.

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

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
6,666
 -7.26% -8.07%
2020
7,188
 -0.26% -
2019
7,207
 -0.22% -
2018
7,223
 -0.39% -
2017
7,251
 - -

Population of Wolfe 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
97%
98.2%
 -1.22%
Black/African American
0.1%
0.3%
 -66.67%
Native
0%
0.4%
 -100.00%
Hispanic
0%
0.3%
 -100.00%
Asian
0.1%
0%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.8%
0.6%
 +366.67%
Other
0%
0.2%
 -100.00%

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 Wolfe 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 41.2 -0.48% 38 -4.52% 47.1 +7.78%
2020 41.4 -0.96% 39.8 -1% 43.7 -1.8%
2019 41.8 +0.48% 40.2 -0.25% 44.5 +3.25%
2018 41.6 -0.48% 40.3 -0.74% 43.1 +0.47%
2017 41.8 - 40.6 - 42.9 -

The median age of Wolfe 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 9 509 -8.57% 372 2.57% 455 371
10 to 19 445 +38.59% 507 -47.73% 628 285
20 to 29 352 -8.39% 399 -22.08% 316 312
30 to 39 408 +13.27% 403 +14.64% 459 447
40 to 49 423 -31.32% 504 -28% 292 366
50 to 59 530 -38.33% 602 -14.39% 346 518
60 to 69 505 +13.21% 494 -10.09% 574 438
70+ 350 +1.43% 448 +14.41% 352 507

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Wolfe County, Kentucky is $24,349.00.

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 Wolfe County.

  • Under 25
    $0.00
  • 25 to 44
    $23,125.00
  • 45 to 64
    $22,517.00
  • 65 and over
    $28,125.00

Average Household Income

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

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Wolfe 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 Wolfe County, Kentucky is currently $33,514.00.

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 Wolfe 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 Wolfe County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    51.01%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    29.19%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    13.16%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    2.63%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    2.83%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    1.17%
  • $200,000 or more
    0.00%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Wolfe County is $13,052.00.

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

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Wolfe 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 Wolfe 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
    8.54%
  • Bachelor's degree
    7.36%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.78%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    70.64%
  • Less than high school diploma
    1.68%

Employment

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

The total population of Wolfe County over the age of 16 is 5,355.

Of those people, a total of 32.80% 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 Wolfe County is 23.70%.

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 428 41.10% 92.60%
20 to 24 years 383 57.20% 44.30%
25 to 29 years 245 52.70% 0.00%
30 to 34 years 545 38.00% 68.10%
35 to 44 years 587 43.40% 13.30%
45 to 54 years 869 49.60% 7.90%
55 to 59 years 427 34.90% 0.00%
60 to 64 years 607 15.00% 0.00%
65 to 74 years 776 9.80% 0.00%
75 years and over 488 4.30% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Wolfe 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 5,158 32.60% 24.10%
Black or African American 5 0.00% 0.00%
American Indian and Alaska Native 0 0.00% 0.00%
Asian 6 100.00% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 0 0.00% 0.00%
Other 1 0.00% 0.00%
Two or more races 185 36.80% 100.00%
Hispanic or Latino 1 0.00% 0.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 5,158 32.60% 24.10%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Wolfe 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 Wolfe County is 1,271, with median earnings of $17,074.00.

Women in Wolfe County, Kentucky earning approximately 62.50% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 1,271 $17,074.00
Male 638 $25,488.00
Female 633 $15,941.00

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 70 $40,887.00
Business and Financial 8 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 0 $0.00
Community and Social Service 2 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 100 $75,000.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 2 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 92 $33,750.00
Healthcare Support 24 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 10 $0.00
Law Enforcement 48 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 160 $5,968.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 104 $8,654.00
Personal Care and Service 78 $15,875.00
Sales 252 $13,750.00
Office and Administrative Support 59 $19,779.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 2 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 49 $11,696.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 99 $25,865.00
Production 45 $29,196.00
Transportation and Material Moving 20 $66,250.00

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 54 $40,806.00 16 $0.00
Business and Financial 0 $0.00 8 $0.00
Computer and Mathematical 0 $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 0 $0.00 2 $0.00
Legal 0 $0.00 0 $0.00
Educational and Library 74 $90,650.00 26 $12,031.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 2 $0.00 0 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 22 $0.00 70 $19,732.00
Healthcare Support 0 $0.00 24 $0.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 2 $0.00 8 $0.00
Law Enforcement 7 $0.00 41 $0.00
Food Preparation and Serving 30 $0.00 130 $7,177.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 87 $13,036.00 17 $0.00
Personal Care and Service 2 $0.00 76 $15,862.00
Sales 146 $15,915.00 106 $2,499.00
Office and Administrative Support 0 $0.00 59 $19,779.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 2 $0.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 42 $12,321.00 7 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 99 $25,865.00 0 $0.00
Production 19 $28,542.00 26 $29,688.00
Transportation and Material Moving 12 $0.00 8 $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 2,470 households in Wolfe County, with an average household size of 2.64 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 1,532 families in Wolfe 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 1,007 175 350 938
Average Household Size 3.36 6.11 3.11 1.05
Total Families 1,007 175 350 0
Average Household Size 3.29 4.96 2.92 0

Poverty

Of the 1,532 families in Wolfe County, 32.40% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Wolfe 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 3,095 housing units in Wolfe County, Kentucky.

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

Total Percentage
Occupied 2,470 79.81%
Vacant 625 20.19%

20.97% of the total 3,095 housing units in Wolfe County are rental units. This is approximately 649 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 1,667 are occupied by the owner - or 53.86% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Wolfe County is $386.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Wolfe 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
    154
  • Less than $500
    456
  • $500 to $999
    161
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    32
  • $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 Wolfe County is $60,900.00.

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

  • Less than $50,000
    629
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    545
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    335
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    108
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    31
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    0
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    7
  • $1,000,000 or more
    12

Property Age

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

  • 1939 or earlier
    130
  • 1940 to 1949
    114
  • 1950 to 1959
    95
  • 1960 to 1969
    297
  • 1970 to 1979
    706
  • 1980 to 1989
    553
  • 1990 to 1999
    589
  • 2000 to 2009
    380
  • 2010 to 2013
    231
  • 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 Wolfe County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    529
  • 1 vehicle available
    851
  • 2 vehicles available
    693
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    397

Commuting to Work

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

23.3 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Wolfe 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
    62
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    272
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    198
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    77
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    241
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    57
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    125
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    2
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    14
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    79
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    109
  • 90 or more minutes
    22

Summary

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

We have data for 5 places in Wolfe County, Kentucky. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.