Lawrence County, Kentucky Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 69th-largest in Kentucky

The population of Lawrence County, Kentucky is 16,171 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 69th-largest county in Kentucky. The median household income is $45,584, the median home value is $108,100, and the median age is 42.0.

The population of Lawrence County has declined 0.4% since 2010 (15,856 → 15,798), a -0.03% annualized rate.

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

16,171

Population

-0.03%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$45,584

Median Income

$108,100

Median Home Value

Lawrence County covers 416 sq mi of land at 38.9 people per square mile.

About Lawrence County, KY

Lawrence County is a county in Kentucky with a population of 16,171. It ranks #69 among counties in Kentucky by population. The median age is 42.0, older than the national median. The population is 49.1% male and 50.9% female.

The median household income in Lawrence County is $45,584, below the US median of $74,580. 18.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $108,100, with monthly rent averaging $729. The homeownership rate of 76.3% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Lawrence County reflects 14.2% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 4.5% 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.

Lawrence County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Lawrence County had a population of 15,856 in 2010 and 15,798 in 2024, a -0.4% growth over 14 years. The peak was 16,302 in 2020. Average annual growth rate: -0.01%.

15,798

Population (2024)

15,856

Population (2010)

16,302

Peak (2020)

-0.01%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	15,856	-	-	estimate
2011	15,931	+75	+0.47%	estimate
2012	15,881	-50	-0.31%	estimate
2013	15,893	+12	+0.08%	estimate
2014	15,873	-20	-0.13%	estimate
2015	15,861	-12	-0.08%	estimate
2016	15,843	-18	-0.11%	estimate
2017	15,757	-86	-0.54%	estimate
2018	15,589	-168	-1.07%	estimate
2019	15,395	-194	-1.24%	estimate
2020	16,302	+907	+5.89%	estimate
2021	16,273	-29	-0.18%	estimate
2022	16,037	-236	-1.45%	estimate
2023	15,974	-63	-0.39%	estimate
2024	15,798	-176	-1.10%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	97.3%
Black or African American	0.0%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	0.7%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

42.0

Median Age

50.9%

Female

49.1%

Male

19.8%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.3%

5–9

4.3%

10–14

9.2%

15–19

6.3%

20–24

4.4%

25–34

11.1%

35–44

12.0%

45–54

12.8%

55–59

7.0%

60–64

6.9%

65–74

13.2%

75–84

4.9%

85+

1.7%

Children (under 15): 19.8% · Seniors (65+): 19.8%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$45,584$-16,833 vs state
Mean household income	$62,255
Per-capita income	$24,027
Poverty rate	18.2%+6.4% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.7%
Employment-to-population	41.7%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

29.0%

Manufacturing

10.2%

Retail trade

9.0%

Finance & real estate

7.0%

Public administration

6.5%

Construction

5.6%

Arts, entertainment & food

5.3%

Education & health care

3.6%

The largest employment sector in Lawrence County is professional & business services, accounting for 29.0% of workers.

How residents commute

0.3%

Drive alone

0.4%

Carpool

86.0%

Public transit

4.5%

Work from home

30.4 min

Avg commute

Housing

$108,100$-84,200 vs state

Median home value

$729

Median rent

76.3%

Homeownership rate

7,575

Total housing units

81.2%

Occupied

18.8%

Vacant

23.7%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

93.9%

With health insurance

86.0%

With broadband internet

34.6%

Foreign-born

4.3%

Veterans (18+)

23.5%

With a disability

98.1%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

79.8%

High School+

14.2%

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

Lawrence County, Kentucky has a population of 16,171 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 69th-largest county in Kentucky. Population density is 39 people per square mile.

The population of Lawrence County has declined 0.4% since 2010 (15,856 → 15,798), a -0.03% annualized rate.

The median household income in Lawrence County, Kentucky is $45,584, with mean (average) household income of $62,255 and per-capita income of $24,027. 18.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Lawrence County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (97.3%), Hispanic or Latino (0.7%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Lawrence County, Kentucky is 42.0 years. Residents are 50.9% female and 49.1% male.

The median home value in Lawrence County is $108,100 and median monthly rent is $729. 76.3% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 7,575 total housing units, 18.8% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Lawrence County, Kentucky is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 29.0% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.7%.

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