Population 8,344 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Prestonsburg
Household size in Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.36 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.29 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.30 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.11 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Prestonsburg are small: just 2.24 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.36, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only 11 of the 146 Kentucky cities with 5,000+ people have smaller households.
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 Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.9 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 42.3 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.3 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 43.8 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.9 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
Prestonsburg skews older than the country: its median age is 43.8, against 40.1 nationally. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 40.9, in line with the national trend. 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 Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.9% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.7% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +2.3 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Prestonsburg (12.7%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Kentucky. The single-parent share has risen 2.3 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell.
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 Prestonsburg
Renters in Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.4% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 39.5% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.2% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 30.6% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.7 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Prestonsburg own their homes; 30.6% rent, a little below the national share of 34.8%. Nearly six in ten owners (56.1%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the center and least common in the west. The renter share has fallen 3.7 points since 2006–10, 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 Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.2% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 16.4% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.7% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Prestonsburg: 13.7% 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 down 1.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1973 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1978 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1979 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +5 | +6 |
Homes in Prestonsburg 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 1973 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $501 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $543 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $643 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $709 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$208 | +$367 | +$606 |
Rent in Prestonsburg runs $709 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $208 a month since 2006–10, up 42%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 36.0% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the south; the most affordable are in the west.
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 Prestonsburg
Bachelor's degrees in Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.6% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.5% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 13.9% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 16.7% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +2.1 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Prestonsburg: 16.7% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 2.1 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the east 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 Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 71.7% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 76.4% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 77.6% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.5% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +10.8 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in six adults in Prestonsburg never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.5% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 10.8 points, as it has nationally. Prestonsburg has a lower share of high school graduates than at least four in five Kentucky cities.
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 Prestonsburg
| Period | Prestonsburg | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 11.7% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.1% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 9.6% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 10.8% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.9 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
Finding work has been harder in Prestonsburg: 10.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well above the national rate of 5.4%. Only one other Kentucky city with 5,000+ people has higher unemployment. 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).
Prestonsburg 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prestonsburg | 2.24 | 43.8 | 12.7% | 30.6% | 13.7% | 1979 | $709 | 16.7% | 82.5% | 10.8% |
| Dwale | 2.35 | 29.4 | 22.2% | 39.5% | 12.2% | 1982 | $521 | 9.0% | 83.4% | 18.5% |
| Lancer | 1.90 | 51.7 | 8.1% | 29.4% | 8.6% | 1984 | $754 | 23.6% | 86.9% | 0.3% |
| Allen | 2.02 | 45.9 | 19.4% | 13.4% | 16.0% | 1986 | $633 | 19.2% | 92.1% | 5.6% |
| Auxier | 2.60 | 47.5 | 26.8% | 27.1% | 20.0% | 1981 | $634 | 23.4% | 90.3% | 0.4% |
| Blue River | 2.08 | 52.9 | 9.0% | 19.6% | 14.7% | 1982 | $784 | 12.8% | 81.9% | 4.6% |
| East Point | 2.34 | 43.0 | 15.9% | 18.2% | 11.2% | 1990 | $666 | 16.7% | 86.3% | 7.2% |
| Endicott | 1.90 | 51.7 | 8.0% | 29.3% | 8.7% | 1984 | $754 | 23.6% | 86.9% | 0.3% |
| Martin | 2.02 | 46.6 | 11.8% | 41.1% | 20.8% | 1990 | $530 | 16.9% | 84.1% | 2.4% |
| Van Lear | 2.21 | 46.0 | 3.3% | 26.8% | 21.0% | 1982 | $785 | 22.5% | 74.3% | 3.4% |
| David | 2.08 | 47.3 | 8.3% | 16.3% | 18.6% | 1982 | $830 | 9.9% | 81.8% | 0.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Weldon Spring, MO · Chester, NJ · Cheviot, OH · Chittenango, NY · Chuckey, TN · Clarence Center, NY · Clinton, IL · Warrenville, SC · Watchung, NJ · Waterville, OH
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 Prestonsburg. 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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