Population 24,578 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Rowan County
Household size in Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.49 | 2.51 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.42 | 2.53 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.47 | 2.52 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.28 | 2.51 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.21 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Rowan County is a place of small households, averaging 2.28 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.49 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only two of Kentucky's 120 counties 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 Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 33.2 | 38.5 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 34.7 | 39.3 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 34.4 | 40.0 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 33.8 | 39.9 | 40.1 |
| Change | +0.6 | +1.5 | +2.3 |
Rowan County is young: half of its residents are under 33.8, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Since 2006–10, the median age has crept up from 33.2, a smaller shift than nationally. Only one other Kentucky county is younger.
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 Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.1% | 11.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 7.4% | 11.9% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.6% | 11.8% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.8% | 11.9% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Rowan County than nationally: 13.8%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Rowan County has a higher share of single-parent households than at least four in five Kentucky counties.
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 Rowan County
Renters in Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 29.6% | 30.1% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 34.6% | 32.3% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 40.2% | 32.8% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 38.5% | 31.7% | 34.8% |
| Change | +8.9 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly four in ten households in Rowan County rent their homes (38.5%), a bit above the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (50.8%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share is up 8.9 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Few Kentucky counties have a higher share of renters: only four of 120.
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 Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.7% | 12.2% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 18.1% | 11.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 18.3% | 12.3% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.3% | 10.6% | 9.6% |
| Change | −5.4 pts | −1.6 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Rowan County than nationally: 12.3%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy has fallen 5.4 points since 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 Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1983 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1987 | 1980 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1989 | 1982 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +5 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Rowan County is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1989, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. 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 southwest, the oldest in the center.
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 Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $509 | $657 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $623 | $728 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $702 | $814 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $807 | $1,024 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$298 | +$367 | +$606 |
The median renter in Rowan County pays $807 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $298 a month since 2006–10, up 58%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 29.0% of household income on rent, just under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally. Rents run highest in the southeast and lowest 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 Rowan County
Bachelor's degrees in Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 26.2% | 21.3% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 26.6% | 22.5% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 26.6% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 26.5% | 27.6% | 35.6% |
| Change | +0.3 pts | +6.2 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Rowan County than nationally: 26.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. That is in line with the rest of Kentucky. College graduates are most concentrated in the west and least in the southeast.
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 Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 77.1% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.6% | 83.9% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 84.7% | 86.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 85.0% | 88.8% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.9 pts | +7.2 pts | +4.3 pts |
Just over one in seven adults in Rowan County never finished high school, more than nationally: 85.0% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.9 points, mirroring the country.
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 Rowan County
| Period | Rowan County | Kentucky | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.2% | 8.4% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 5.7% | 9.5% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.6% | 5.8% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.5% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.7 pts | −3.3 pts | −2.7 pts |
At 5.5%, unemployment in Rowan County is close to the national rate of 5.4%. Unemployment is down 0.7 points from 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. 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).
Rowan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rowan County | 2.28 | 33.8 | 13.8% | 38.5% | 12.3% | 1989 | $807 | 26.5% | 85.0% | 5.5% |
| Bath County | 2.76 | 39.6 | 11.0% | 25.3% | 13.4% | 1986 | $592 | 12.2% | 82.1% | 2.5% |
| Elliott County | 2.67 | 46.2 | 13.5% | 18.3% | 21.4% | 1989 | $427 | 10.0% | 80.1% | 7.4% |
| Montgomery County | 2.58 | 39.9 | 9.7% | 31.7% | 11.6% | 1984 | $869 | 21.0% | 86.5% | 4.0% |
| Lawrence County | 2.58 | 42.3 | 8.1% | 22.2% | 17.0% | 1989 | $758 | 15.6% | 81.5% | 8.1% |
| Bourbon County | 2.54 | 42.0 | 11.2% | 36.3% | 10.2% | 1977 | $846 | 26.3% | 87.5% | 4.3% |
| Wayne County | 2.48 | 44.5 | 10.8% | 21.4% | 14.8% | 1975 | $1,005 | 18.8% | 87.2% | 4.9% |
| Fayette County | 2.36 | 36.6 | 10.2% | 46.2% | 8.7% | 1982 | $1,309 | 47.5% | 92.3% | 5.6% |
| Scott County | 2.61 | 37.3 | 12.1% | 28.3% | 7.0% | 1996 | $1,254 | 35.1% | 94.0% | 4.4% |
| Woodford County | 2.49 | 42.2 | 11.2% | 28.3% | 8.7% | 1985 | $1,129 | 40.3% | 90.7% | 2.6% |
| Lincoln County | 2.64 | 44.8 | 10.9% | 25.5% | 19.8% | 1983 | $808 | 9.3% | 81.9% | 5.9% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Orleans County, VT · Marshall County, MS · Marshall County, TN · Marshall County, WV · Martin County, NC · Morgan County, IL · Morrison County, MN · Morton County, ND · Naranjito Municipio, PR · Nicollet County, MN
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 Rowan 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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