Population 111,942 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hardin County
Household size in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.58 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.60 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.57 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.53 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.05 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Hardin County run a little small, averaging 2.53 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.58 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. Households are largest in the west and smallest in the east.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.1 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.1 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.8 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.3 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.2 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
Hardin County is a little younger than the country as a whole: its median age is 38.3, against 40.1 nationally. The median age has climbed from 37.1 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the northwest, the oldest in the southwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.5% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Hardin County than nationally: 13.3%, against 11.6%. Compared with other Kentucky counties, Hardin County has a higher share of single-parent households than most.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Hardin County
Renters in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.1% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 37.2% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.5% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 37.4% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +3.3 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Hardin County is about as common as it is nationally: 37.4% of households rent, against 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Kentucky overall (31.7%). Among owners, 38.5% have paid off their mortgages, about the same as nationally. The renter share is up 3.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.5% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.3% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 12.0% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 9.6% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Hardin County is the same as the national rate: 9.6% of homes are empty. Vacancy has fallen 2.9 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Hardin County are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the center, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $664 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $812 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $917 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,028 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$364 | +$367 | +$606 |
The median renter in Hardin County pays $1,028 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $364 a month since 2006–10, up 55%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 25.5% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the southwest; the highest are in the northwest.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Hardin County
Bachelor's degrees in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.1% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 22.1% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 25.7% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Hardin County than nationally: 25.7% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.3 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east and least in the southwest.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 87.5% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 89.1% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.6% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.0% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Hardin County is above the national rate: 93.0% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The share with a diploma has risen 5.5 points since 2006–10, mirroring the country. Of Kentucky's 120 counties, only six have a higher share of high school graduates.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Hardin County
| Period | Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.1% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.1% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.6% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.9% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.2 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.9%, unemployment in Hardin County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Kentucky overall (5.1%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Hardin County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County | 2.53 | 38.3 | 13.3% | 37.4% | 9.6% | 1987 | $1,028 | 25.7% | 93.0% | 5.9% |
| Nelson County | 2.48 | 40.7 | 11.4% | 21.7% | 6.6% | 1991 | $974 | 23.5% | 92.2% | 3.5% |
| Breckinridge County | 2.64 | 42.0 | 10.2% | 18.6% | 21.4% | 1988 | $751 | 13.7% | 85.5% | 4.4% |
| Washington County | 2.47 | 41.5 | 11.2% | 22.4% | 8.0% | 1982 | $776 | 19.3% | 89.2% | 3.2% |
| Hancock County | 2.52 | 41.4 | 14.5% | 22.8% | 6.9% | 1983 | $737 | 17.3% | 87.5% | 4.8% |
| Mercer County | 2.53 | 42.6 | 7.4% | 24.1% | 13.1% | 1981 | $830 | 24.8% | 92.0% | 4.5% |
| Boyle County | 2.31 | 40.7 | 11.5% | 32.0% | 8.9% | 1977 | $771 | 25.6% | 91.4% | 6.3% |
| Daviess County | 2.49 | 39.1 | 13.1% | 31.9% | 8.0% | 1978 | $937 | 26.0% | 91.7% | 4.9% |
| Jessamine County | 2.74 | 38.2 | 11.2% | 33.3% | 7.8% | 1993 | $1,239 | 33.7% | 90.7% | 3.0% |
| Garrard County | 2.64 | 42.1 | 9.6% | 20.1% | 8.2% | 1985 | $834 | 18.5% | 85.3% | 5.6% |
| Madison County | 2.48 | 36.8 | 10.7% | 38.0% | 9.2% | 1993 | $905 | 33.4% | 91.4% | 4.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Cecil County, MD · St. Mary's County, MD · Tom Green County, TX · Lycoming County, PA · Wayne County, NC · Wayne County, OH · Craighead County, AR · Wicomico County, MD · Cass County, MO · Windham County, CT
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Hardin County. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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