Population 16,956 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Mason County
Household size in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.47 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.52 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.40 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Mason County run small, averaging 2.40 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.47 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Households are largest in the northwest and smallest in the center.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 41.4 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.4 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.6 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.2 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +1.8 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
The median resident of Mason County is 43.2 years old, older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 41.4 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.8% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.7% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.7% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are about as common in Mason County as they are nationally: 11.7%, against 11.6%. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.0 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Mason County
Renters in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.1% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.2% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 32.4% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 33.9% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Mason County is about as common as it is nationally: 33.9% of households rent, against 34.8%. Among homeowners, 50.2% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 4.8 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.8% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.9% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 17.0% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Mason County than nationally: 12.7%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is down 4.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1968 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1973 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1973 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Mason County are about the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1979, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1968 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, 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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $512 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $579 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $694 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $757 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$245 | +$367 | +$606 |
Rent in Mason County runs $757 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $245 a month since 2006–10, up 48%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 27.4% of the typical renter's income, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. The priciest rents are in the west; the most affordable are in the east.
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 Mason County
Bachelor's degrees in Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.4% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.6% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 19.7% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.9% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Mason County: 19.9% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.5 points, as it has nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the east.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 78.2% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 81.5% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 86.4% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 86.4% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +8.2 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Nearly one in seven adults in Mason County never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 86.4% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The share with a diploma is up 8.2 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally.
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 Mason County
| Period | Mason County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.1% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.1% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Mason County is close to the national rate: 5.1% of the labor force, against 5.4%. Unemployment has fallen 4.4 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current 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).
Mason 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mason County | 2.40 | 43.2 | 11.7% | 33.9% | 12.7% | 1979 | $757 | 19.9% | 86.4% | 5.1% |
| Robertson County | 2.76 | 36.9 | 15.7% | 20.5% | 18.3% | 1984 | $611 | 13.0% | 81.5% | 3.8% |
| Bracken County | 2.51 | 42.2 | 12.5% | 21.5% | 12.5% | 1984 | $822 | 17.8% | 88.8% | 4.6% |
| Lewis County | 2.54 | 41.8 | 12.1% | 20.8% | 14.5% | 1985 | $729 | 16.2% | 80.6% | 5.3% |
| Pendleton County | 2.70 | 40.6 | 10.3% | 25.3% | 13.3% | 1982 | $788 | 15.0% | 85.3% | 4.7% |
| Grant County | 2.80 | 38.1 | 13.6% | 24.9% | 10.1% | 1988 | $873 | 15.6% | 89.7% | 4.8% |
| Scioto County | 2.45 | 41.1 | 11.6% | 31.6% | 13.2% | 1970 | $835 | 18.3% | 88.7% | 6.1% |
| Greenup County | 2.42 | 44.1 | 9.3% | 19.7% | 9.5% | 1976 | $907 | 19.2% | 89.3% | 6.9% |
| Owen County | 2.64 | 43.7 | 7.7% | 12.0% | 20.4% | 1987 | $763 | 19.3% | 86.0% | 7.6% |
| Gallatin County | 2.65 | 39.7 | 12.7% | 24.9% | 12.4% | 1991 | $962 | 14.6% | 84.0% | 4.6% |
| Lawrence County | 2.55 | 42.9 | 12.6% | 27.7% | 14.9% | 1975 | $866 | 18.9% | 90.4% | 2.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Monroe County, KY · Montgomery County, MS · Montgomery County, MO · Montgomery County, IA · Montgomery County, GA · Montgomery County, AR · Monroe County, WV · Monroe County, OH · Monroe County, MO · Montmorency County, MI
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 Mason 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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