Population 13,038 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Powell County
Household size in Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.64 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.69 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.56 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.65 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.01 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Powell County average 2.65 people, the same as the country as a whole. The typical household here is bigger than in Kentucky overall, where it has 2.51 people. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the northeast.
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 Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 39.4 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.9 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.0 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.4 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Powell County are younger than 39.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has edged down from 39.4, even as the national median rose. Residents skew youngest in the south and oldest in the west.
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 Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.0% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.3% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.8% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.7% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.3 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Powell County: 14.7% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share has edged down 1.3 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of Kentucky's 120 counties, only ten have a higher share of single-parent households.
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 Powell County
Renters in Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 29.9% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 31.0% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 31.8% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +1.7 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Powell County own their homes; 31.8% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 51.5% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northeast. Since 2006–10, the renter share has risen 1.7 points, 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 Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 17.5% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 15.4% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −2.3 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacant homes make up 15.4% of the housing in Powell County, 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 has fallen 2.3 points since 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 Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1982 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +2 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Powell County are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Kentucky. The newest homes are mostly in the southeast, the oldest in the southwest.
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 Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $568 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $557 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $626 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $837 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$269 | +$367 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Powell County costs $837 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $269 a month from 2006–10, a 47% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 40.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
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 Powell County
Bachelor's degrees in Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.5% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.4 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Powell County have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 13.3%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 2.4 points, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the northeast and least in the center.
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 Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 70.1% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 74.4% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.3% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.7% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +11.6 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Powell County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma has risen 11.6 points since 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 Powell County
| Period | Powell County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.9% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.4% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −3.1 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.4%, unemployment in Powell County is the same as the national rate. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 3.1 points, as it has nationally. 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).
Powell 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powell County | 2.65 | 39.0 | 14.7% | 31.8% | 15.4% | 1985 | $837 | 13.3% | 81.7% | 5.4% |
| Estill County | 2.34 | 44.6 | 14.0% | 29.6% | 13.6% | 1980 | $704 | 12.2% | 78.5% | 7.2% |
| Menifee County | 2.49 | 46.5 | 15.3% | 24.5% | 23.4% | 1988 | $609 | 15.1% | 80.9% | 7.2% |
| Clark County | 2.51 | 41.1 | 11.9% | 29.3% | 8.9% | 1980 | $959 | 22.5% | 88.8% | 4.7% |
| Wolfe County | 2.42 | 42.3 | 10.8% | 26.4% | 11.6% | 1990 | $585 | 9.6% | 70.1% | 14.2% |
| Madison County | 2.48 | 36.8 | 10.7% | 38.0% | 9.2% | 1993 | $905 | 33.4% | 91.4% | 4.3% |
| Morgan County | 2.67 | 40.4 | 9.1% | 21.1% | 17.3% | 1991 | $697 | 17.7% | 80.0% | 2.8% |
| Jessamine County | 2.74 | 38.2 | 11.2% | 33.3% | 7.8% | 1993 | $1,239 | 33.7% | 90.7% | 3.0% |
| Magoffin County | 2.40 | 42.7 | 13.8% | 24.6% | 13.8% | 1986 | $765 | 13.5% | 72.3% | 9.4% |
| Mercer County | 2.53 | 42.6 | 7.4% | 24.1% | 13.1% | 1981 | $830 | 24.8% | 92.0% | 4.5% |
| Johnson County | 2.43 | 42.2 | 11.1% | 31.7% | 15.5% | 1983 | $744 | 17.0% | 81.6% | 4.5% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Custer County, MT · Day County, SD · Dawson County, TX · Dawes County, NE · Davison County, SD · Davis County, IA · Daviess County, MO · Dallas County, MO · Dallas County, AR · Dallam County, TX
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 Powell 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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