Whitley County, KY

County

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2020 Population

36,252

0.335% 1-year growth

US Senator

Mitch McConnell

Republican Party

US Senator

Rand Paul

Republican Party

2020 Median Age

36.7

0.273% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

20.8%

11.5% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$39,258

0.649% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$104,200

12.6% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

13,004

1.51% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Whitley County, KY had a population of 36.3k people with a median age of 36.7 and a median household income of $39,258. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Whitley County, KY grew from 36,131 to 36,252, a 0.335% increase and its median household income grew from $39,005 to $39,258, a 0.649% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Whitley County, KY are White (Non-Hispanic) (95.9%), White (Hispanic) (1.07%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (0.988%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (0.921%), and Asian (Non-Hispanic) (0.499%).

None of the households in Whitley County, KY reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

99% of the residents in Whitley County, KY are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Whitley County, KY are University of the Cumberlands (4,149 degrees awarded in 2020).

In 2020, the median property value in Whitley County, KY was $104,200, and the homeownership rate was 68.4%.

Most people in Whitley County, KY drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.3 minutes. The average car ownership in Whitley County, KY was 2 cars per household.

Whitley County, KY borders Bell County, KY, Knox County, KY, Laurel County, KY, McCreary County, KY, Campbell County, TN, and Claiborne County, TN.

Population & Diversity

Whitley County, KY is home to a population of 36.3k people, from which 99% are citizens. As of 2020, 1.29% of Whitley County, KY residents were born outside of the country (469 people).

In 2020, there were 89.8 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (34.8k people) in Whitley County, KY than any other race or ethnicity. There were 387 White (Hispanic) and 358 Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

99%

2020 Citizenship

99.3%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 99% of Whitley County, KY residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Whitley County, KY was 99.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Whitley County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Whitley County, KY

White (Non-Hispanic)
34.8k ± 46
White (Hispanic)
387 ± 70
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
358 ± 197

1.37%

Hispanic Population

496 people

1.37% of the people in Whitley County, KY are hispanic (496 people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Whitley County, KY as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Kentucky.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
29,760 ± 4,221 people
India
12,679 ± 2,761 people
Cuba
12,635 ± 2,756 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Kentucky was Mexico, the natal country of 29,760 Kentucky residents, followed by India with 12,679 and Cuba with 12,635.

Foreign-Born Population

1.29%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

469 people

0.944%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

341 people

As of 2020, 1.29% of Whitley County, KY residents (469 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Whitley County, KY was 0.944%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Whitley County, KY compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
903 ± 207
Gulf War (2001-)
329 ± 160
Gulf War (1990s)
133 ± 77

Whitley County, KY has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 2.74 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Whitley County, KY employs 13k people. The largest industries in Whitley County, KY are Educational Services (2,107 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,793 people), and Manufacturing (1,771 people), and the highest paying industries are Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($67,917), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($55,082), and Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation ($44,091).

Males in Kentucky have an average income that is 1.34 times higher than the average income of females, which is $45,693. The income inequality in Kentucky (measured using the Gini index) is 0.454, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

13k

2020 Value

± 952

1.51%

1 Year growth

± 9.81%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Whitley County, KY grew at a rate of 1.51%, from 12.8k employees to 13k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Whitley County, KY, are Education Instruction, & Library Occupations (1,389 people), Sales & Related Occupations (1,341 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (1,243 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Whitley County, KY.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Kentucky (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

13k

2020 Value

± 952

1.51%

1 Year growth

± 9.81%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Whitley County, KY grew at a rate of 1.51%, from 12.8k employees to 13k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Whitley County, KY, are Educational Services (2,107 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,793 people), and Manufacturing (1,771 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Whitley County, KY, though some of these residents may live in Whitley County, KY and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$33,500

Median earning men ± $3,025

$23,893

Median earning women ± $2,602

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($76,487), Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($55,489), and Public Administration ($46,125).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Public Administration ($35,980), Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($33,830), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($30,531).

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Kentucky. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Kentucky.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

335
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
195
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
166
Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$163k
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$139k
Manufacturing
$48.4k
Retail Trade

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky product (by dollars) was Motorized vehicles with $57B, followed by Electronics ($34.7B) and Machinery ($31.1B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Kentucky products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Kentucky.

$326B

2020 Value in Kentucky

$644B

Projected 2050 Value in Kentucky

97.4% growth

In 2020, total outbound Kentucky trade was $326B. This is expected to increase 97.4% to $644B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Kentucky trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Kentucky to other states, or from other states to Kentucky.

Most Common Trade Partners

Tennessee
$24.4B
Ohio
$18.8B
California
$17.9B

In 2020, the top outbound Kentucky domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Tennessee with $24.4B, followed by Ohio with $18.8B and California and $17.9B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Kentucky shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Whitley County, KY went to Donald J. Trump with 81.9% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (16.6%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.15%).

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing the state of Kentucky. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (81.9%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (16.6%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.15%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Whitley County, KY for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Kentucky

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Mitch McConnell

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 1985

Rand Paul

Senator from Kentucky

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul are the senators currently representing Kentucky.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Kentucky over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives Elections

US Representatives from Kentucky

Kentucky is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Kentucky have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Whitley County, KY awarded 4,149 degrees. The student population of Whitley County, KY in 2020 is skewed towards men, with 10,234 male students and 8,876 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Whitley County, KY are Unknown (1,332 and 56%), followed by White (920 and 38.7%), Asian (52 and 2.18%), and Black or African American (48 and 2.02%).

The largest universities in Whitley County, KY by number of degrees awarded are University of the Cumberlands (4,149 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Whitley County, KY are Computer & Information Systems Security (1,241 and 29.9%), Information Technology (486 and 11.7%), and Other Educational Administration & Supervision (323 and 7.79%).

The median tuition cost in Whitley County, KY for private four year colleges is $9,875.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2020 in Whitley County, KY, the percentage of applicants admitted was 81.4%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 33%. The number of students enrolled in 2020 was 19,110 (53.6% men and 46.4% women).

The line chart shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2020 there were 19,110 students enrolled in Whitley County, KY, 53.6% men and 46.4% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in Unknown with 13,644 records, of which 50% were women and 50% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

Other Educational Administration & Supervision
274 degree-majors awarded
Computer & Information Systems Security
1,241 degree-majors awarded
Information Technology
482 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Masters Degree recipients in Whitley County, KY was Other Educational Administration & Supervision with 274 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Masters Degree from schools in Whitley County, KY according to their major.

Universities

Gender

Race

University of the Cumberlands

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

4,149 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of the Cumberlands with 4,149 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2020, 2,129 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Whitley County, KY, which is 1.05 times more than the 2,020 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was Unknown students. These 1,332 degrees mean that there were 1.45 times more degrees awarded to Unknown students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, White, with 920 degrees awarded.

Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($9,875) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Private not-for-profit, 4-year or above ($1,400) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Measure

In 2020, 0.764% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.662% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.15M), Some college (792k), and Secondary Education (572k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Whitley County, KY was $104,200 in 2020, which is 0.453 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $92,500 to $104,200, a 12.6% increase. The homeownership rate in Whitley County, KY is 68.4%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Whitley County, KY have an average commute time of 21.3 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Whitley County, KY is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Whitley County, KY is $39,258. In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income in Whitley County, KY was Census Tract 9201 with a value of $55,677, followed by Census Tract 9202 and Census Tract 9207, with respective values of $40,662 and $37,727.

In 2021, 13.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whitley County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.49%.

Housing

Property

$104,200

Median Property Value 2020

±$10,291

$8,680

Median Property Taxes

±$739

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Whitley County, KY the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Whitley County, KY compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

Rent vs Own

68.4%

Homeownership

2020

67.2%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 68.4% of the housing units in Whitley County, KY were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 68.8%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Whitley County, KY compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

Census Tract 9201
Census Tract 9202
Census Tract 9207

In 2020, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Whitley County, KY was Census Tract 9201 with a value of $55,677, followed by Census Tract 9202 and Census Tract 9207, with respective values of $40,662 and $37,727.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Whitley County, KY colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$39,258

Median Household Income

± $3,930

12.7k

Number of Households

± 874

In 2020, the median household income of the 12.7k households in Whitley County, KY grew to $39,258 from the previous year's value of $39,005.

The following chart displays the households in Whitley County, KY distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the < $10k range.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Whitley County, KY is from Kentucky.

0.454

2020 Wage GINI in Kentucky

0.456

2019 Wage GINI in Kentucky

In 2020, the income inequality in Kentucky was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.305% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Kentucky was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Kentucky in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Kentucky across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2020

Drove Alone (78%)
Carpooled (13.6%)
Worked At Home (4.7%)

In 2020, 78% of workers in Whitley County, KY drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (13.6%) and those who worked at home (4.7%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Commute Time

21.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Whitley County, KY have a shorter commute time (21.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 2% of the workforce in Whitley County, KY have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Whitley County, KY compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Whitley County, KY distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Whitley County, KY have 2 cars.

Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2021, 13.3% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Whitley County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 2.49%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

Poverty & Diversity

20.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Whitley County, KY (7.13k out of 34.2k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Males 35 - 44 and then Males 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Whitley County, KY is White, followed by Two Or More and Native American.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Children in Poverty

In 2021, 26.1% of the children was living in poverty in Whitley County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 16.6%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2021, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 97.2 in Whitley County, KY. From 2014 to 2021, the indicator declined 0.323 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

93% of the population of Whitley County, KY has health coverage, with 35.3% on employee plans, 32.9% on Medicaid, 12.9% on Medicare, 10.1% on non-group plans, and 1.82% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Kentucky was $8,004 in 2014. This is a 6.11% increase from the previous year ($7,543).

Primary care physicians in Whitley County, KY see 1394 patients per year on average, which represents a 7.81% increase from the previous year (1293 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1250 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 65 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Kentucky. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Kentucky, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,394 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Whitley County, KY

Primary care physicians in Whitley County, KY see an average of 1,394 patients per year. This represents a 7.81% increase from the previous year (1,293 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Whitley County, KY in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Kentucky.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Kentucky across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

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Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 26.9% under 18 years, 21.7% between 18 and 34 years, 36.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 15.3% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.4% were men and 51.6% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

Uninsured People

7.01%

Uninsured

35.3%

Employer Coverage

32.9%

Medicaid

12.9%

Medicare

10.1%

Non-Group

1.82%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Whitley County, KY grew by 25.3% from 5.59% to 7.01%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Whitley County, KY changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2021, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 55 in Whitley County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whitley County, KY.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2021, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 35.6% in Whitley County, KY.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Whitley County, KY.

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