Population 39,081 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Paducah
Household size in Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.26 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.25 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.25 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.31 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.05 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Paducah is a place of small households, averaging 2.31 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has crept up from 2.26 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 42.5 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 43.6 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 42.8 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.5 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.9 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
Paducah skews older than the country: its median age is 43.5, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 42.5, in line with the national trend. Residents skew youngest in the center and oldest in the southeast.
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 Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.2% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 11.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.4% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in ten households in Paducah (10.4%), a little below the national share of 11.6%. The single-parent share has edged down 0.8 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Paducah
Renters in Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.3% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 38.4% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 35.9% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
More than a third of households in Paducah rent their homes (35.9%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Renters make up a bigger share here than in Kentucky overall (31.7%). Nearly half of owners (47.4%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 1.4 points, even as the national share rose.
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 Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.0% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.2% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.5% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.6% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Paducah: 14.6% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy is up 2.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1970 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1970 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1972 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1973 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +5 | +6 |
Housing in Paducah leans older: the median home dates to 1973, against 1980 nationally. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the north has the oldest housing. Paducah has older homes than at least four in five Kentucky cities.
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 Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $591 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $652 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $725 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $889 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$298 | +$367 | +$606 |
The median renter in Paducah pays $889 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $298 a month from 2006–10, a 50% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.1% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. The priciest rents are in the northwest; the most affordable are in the northeast.
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 Paducah
Bachelor's degrees in Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 20.5% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 23.3% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 25.7% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.1% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.5 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Paducah than nationally: 28.1% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 7.5 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the north.
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 Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.3% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 87.0% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.4% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 93.7% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +9.4 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Paducah is above the national rate: 93.7% of adults have a diploma, against 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 9.4 points, 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 Paducah
| Period | Paducah | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.4% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 7.6% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.1% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.5 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Paducah runs below the national rate: 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.5 points, 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).
Paducah compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paducah | 2.31 | 43.5 | 10.4% | 35.9% | 14.6% | 1973 | $889 | 28.1% | 93.7% | 4.0% |
| Hendron | 2.09 | 51.3 | 9.0% | 31.1% | 12.3% | 1982 | $1,743 | 37.0% | 98.0% | 1.5% |
| Massac | 2.76 | 34.5 | 12.3% | 31.9% | 9.0% | 1988 | $934 | 41.8% | 93.8% | 0.4% |
| Farley | 2.82 | 36.8 | 12.3% | 26.9% | 21.2% | 1978 | $866 | 10.5% | 87.2% | 4.0% |
| Cecil | 2.35 | 28.6 | 12.6% | 68.2% | 35.9% | 1978 | $1,076 | 16.5% | 92.3% | 0.0% |
| Brookport | 2.68 | 41.9 | 9.6% | 17.3% | 19.3% | 1978 | $750 | 17.5% | 84.6% | 3.0% |
| West Paducah | 2.63 | 45.6 | 10.7% | 16.1% | 16.9% | 1986 | $1,009 | 21.5% | 93.7% | 2.5% |
| Shady Grove | 3.03 | 33.2 | 6.4% | 16.4% | 30.7% | 1970 | $870 | 10.8% | 81.9% | 7.1% |
| Reidland | 2.91 | 40.6 | 8.5% | 17.9% | 15.7% | 1980 | $996 | 30.1% | 92.0% | 3.0% |
| Riverview | 2.61 | 43.6 | 12.6% | 14.3% | 16.4% | 1981 | $1,010 | 20.9% | 92.9% | 11.7% |
| Grahamville | 2.80 | 36.2 | 8.4% | 16.3% | 3.8% | 1985 | $960 | 17.6% | 87.8% | 0.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Bartlesville, OK · Bartlett, IL · Buffalo Grove, IL · Canonsburg, PA · Carol Stream, IL · Catonsville, MD · Chelsea, MA · Romeoville, IL · Sierra Vista, AZ · Rockledge, FL
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 Paducah. 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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