Breathitt County, Kentucky Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 80th-largest in Kentucky

The population of Breathitt County, Kentucky is 13,438 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 80th-largest county in Kentucky. The median household income is $41,101, the median home value is $61,800, and the median age is 43.0.

The population of Breathitt County has declined 7.6% since 2010 (13,855 → 12,804), a -0.56% annualized rate.

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

13,438

Population

-0.56%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$41,101

Median Income

$61,800

Median Home Value

Breathitt County covers 492 sq mi of land at 27.3 people per square mile.

About Breathitt County, KY

Breathitt County is a county in Kentucky with a population of 13,438. It ranks #80 among counties in Kentucky by population. The median age is 43.0, older than the national median. The population is 50.1% male and 49.9% female.

The median household income in Breathitt County is $41,101, below the US median of $74,580. 22.1% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $61,800, with monthly rent averaging $543. The homeownership rate of 74.3% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Breathitt County reflects 16.5% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 4.0% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 30.4 minutes each way.

Breathitt County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Breathitt County had a population of 13,855 in 2010 and 12,804 in 2024, a -7.6% growth over 14 years. The peak was 13,855 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.53%.

12,804

Population (2024)

13,855

Population (2010)

13,855

Peak (2010)

-0.53%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	13,855	-	-	estimate
2011	13,786	-69	-0.50%	estimate
2012	13,608	-178	-1.29%	estimate
2013	13,525	-83	-0.61%	estimate
2014	13,361	-164	-1.21%	estimate
2015	13,358	-3	-0.02%	estimate
2016	13,164	-194	-1.45%	estimate
2017	12,922	-242	-1.84%	estimate
2018	12,762	-160	-1.24%	estimate
2019	12,612	-150	-1.18%	estimate
2020	13,701	+1,089	+8.63%	estimate
2021	13,558	-143	-1.04%	estimate
2022	13,353	-205	-1.51%	estimate
2023	12,962	-391	-2.93%	estimate
2024	12,804	-158	-1.22%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	96.5%
Black or African American	0.5%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0.5%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

43.0

Median Age

49.9%

Female

50.1%

Male

18.3%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.7%

5–9

5.6%

10–14

5.7%

15–19

5.1%

20–24

5.6%

25–34

12.4%

35–44

13.0%

45–54

13.4%

55–59

7.6%

60–64

7.6%

65–74

12.0%

75–84

4.9%

85+

1.4%

Children (under 15): 17.0% · Seniors (65+): 18.3%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$41,101$-21,316 vs state
Mean household income	$54,263
Per-capita income	$23,544
Poverty rate	22.1%+10.3% vs state
Unemployment rate	4.3%
Employment-to-population	41.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

33.2%

Construction

8.9%

Public administration

8.8%

Manufacturing

8.2%

Education & health care

7.1%

Finance & real estate

7.0%

Arts, entertainment & food

4.4%

Agriculture

3.4%

The largest employment sector in Breathitt County is professional & business services, accounting for 33.2% of workers.

How residents commute

0.1%

Drive alone

3.4%

Carpool

77.8%

Public transit

4.0%

Work from home

30.4 min

Avg commute

Housing

$61,800$-130,500 vs state

Median home value

$543

Median rent

74.3%

Homeownership rate

6,559

Total housing units

84.3%

Occupied

15.7%

Vacant

25.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

97.3%

With health insurance

84.2%

With broadband internet

12.0%

Foreign-born

4.2%

Veterans (18+)

31.4%

With a disability

98.8%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

80.6%

High School+

16.5%

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

Breathitt County, Kentucky has a population of 13,438 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 80th-largest county in Kentucky. Population density is 27 people per square mile.

The population of Breathitt County has declined 7.6% since 2010 (13,855 → 12,804), a -0.56% annualized rate.

The median household income in Breathitt County, Kentucky is $41,101, with mean (average) household income of $54,263 and per-capita income of $23,544. 22.1% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Breathitt County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (96.5%), Black or African American (0.5%), Hispanic or Latino (0.5%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Breathitt County, Kentucky is 43.0 years. Residents are 49.9% female and 50.1% male.

The median home value in Breathitt County is $61,800 and median monthly rent is $543. 74.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 6,559 total housing units, 15.7% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Breathitt County, Kentucky is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 33.2% of workers. The unemployment rate is 4.3%.

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