Adair County, Kentucky Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 63rd-largest in Kentucky

The population of Adair County, Kentucky is 19,016 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 63rd-largest county in Kentucky. The median household income is $50,316, the median home value is $134,800, and the median age is 40.1.

The population of Adair County has grown 2.6% since 2010 (18,750 → 19,239), a +0.18% annualized rate.

Adair County within Kentucky · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

19,016

Population

+0.18%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$50,316

Median Income

$134,800

Median Home Value

Adair County covers 405 sq mi of land at 46.9 people per square mile.

About Adair County, KY

Adair County is a county in Kentucky with a population of 19,016. It ranks #63 among counties in Kentucky by population. The median age is 40.1, older than the national median. The population is 50.2% male and 49.8% female.

The median household income in Adair County is $50,316, below the US median of $74,580. 12.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $134,800, with monthly rent averaging $775. The homeownership rate of 76.2% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Adair County reflects 18.8% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 11.4% of workers primarily work from home, similar to the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 28.0 minutes each way.

Adair County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Adair County had a population of 18,750 in 2010 and 19,239 in 2024, a 2.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 19,472 in 2019. Average annual growth rate: 0.19%.

19,239

Population (2024)

18,750

Population (2010)

19,472

Peak (2019)

0.19%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	18,750	-	-	estimate
2011	18,984	+234	+1.25%	estimate
2012	18,939	-45	-0.24%	estimate
2013	19,128	+189	+1.00%	estimate
2014	19,268	+140	+0.73%	estimate
2015	19,172	-96	-0.50%	estimate
2016	19,293	+121	+0.63%	estimate
2017	19,311	+18	+0.09%	estimate
2018	19,201	-110	-0.57%	estimate
2019	19,472	+271	+1.41%	estimate
2020	18,881	-591	-3.04%	estimate
2021	18,928	+47	+0.25%	estimate
2022	19,089	+161	+0.85%	estimate
2023	19,306	+217	+1.14%	estimate
2024	19,239	-67	-0.35%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	91.3%
Black or African American	1.8%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

40.1

Median Age

49.8%

Female

50.2%

Male

19.7%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

4.7%

5–9

5.9%

10–14

5.7%

15–19

8.4%

20–24

7.9%

25–34

11.2%

35–44

10.8%

45–54

11.8%

55–59

6.4%

60–64

7.6%

65–74

12.3%

75–84

5.5%

85+

1.9%

Children (under 15): 16.3% · Seniors (65+): 19.7%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$50,316$-12,101 vs state
Mean household income	$67,347
Per-capita income	$27,705
Poverty rate	12.7%+0.9% vs state
Unemployment rate	4.1%
Employment-to-population	48.9%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

24.2%

Manufacturing

16.4%

Construction

8.2%

Retail trade

7.7%

Finance & real estate

6.6%

Education & health care

6.4%

Public administration

4.2%

Information

4.1%

The largest employment sector in Adair County is professional & business services, accounting for 24.2% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

1.9%

Carpool

75.2%

Public transit

11.4%

Work from home

28.0 min

Avg commute

Housing

$134,800$-57,500 vs state

Median home value

$775

Median rent

76.2%

Homeownership rate

8,632

Total housing units

80.9%

Occupied

19.1%

Vacant

23.8%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.1%

With health insurance

90.5%

With broadband internet

22.3%

Foreign-born

8.0%

Veterans (18+)

23.5%

With a disability

96.5%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

85.8%

High School+

18.8%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Kentucky

Louisville/Jefferson County (627,210)Lexington-Fayette (321,122)Bowling Green (73,638)Owensboro (60,112)Covington (40,902)Georgetown (38,206)Richmond (35,498)Florence (32,334)Elizabethtown (31,870)Nicholasville (31,625)All Kentucky cities →

Other counties in Kentucky

Jefferson County (777,392)Fayette County (321,122)Kenton County (169,817)Boone County (137,676)Warren County (137,549)Hardin County (111,452)Daviess County (103,195)Madison County (94,064)Campbell County (93,193)Bullitt County (83,209)All Kentucky counties →

Part of Kentucky

Kentucky demographic profile All Kentucky data →

Metro areas in Kentucky

Cincinnati (2,255,257)Louisville/Jefferson County (1,361,847)Lexington (517,378)Huntington (372,801)Clarksville (328,626)Bowling Green (183,194)Elizabethtown (126,480)Owensboro (112,322)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Adair County, Kentucky has a population of 19,016 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 63rd-largest county in Kentucky. Population density is 47 people per square mile.

The population of Adair County has grown 2.6% since 2010 (18,750 → 19,239), a +0.18% annualized rate.

The median household income in Adair County, Kentucky is $50,316, with mean (average) household income of $67,347 and per-capita income of $27,705. 12.7% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Adair County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (91.3%), Black or African American (1.8%), Hispanic or Latino (0.9%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Adair County, Kentucky is 40.1 years. Residents are 49.8% female and 50.2% male.

The median home value in Adair County is $134,800 and median monthly rent is $775. 76.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 8,632 total housing units, 19.1% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Adair County, Kentucky is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 24.2% of workers. The unemployment rate is 4.1%.

Louisville/Jefferson County is among the largest cities associated with Adair County, Kentucky, with a population of 627,210.