Rockcastle County, Kentucky Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 70th-largest in Kentucky

The population of Rockcastle County, Kentucky is 16,144 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 70th-largest county in Kentucky. The median household income is $48,367, the median home value is $119,300, and the median age is 42.8.

The population of Rockcastle County has declined 5.0% since 2010 (17,086 → 16,226), a -0.37% annualized rate.

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

16,144

Population

-0.37%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$48,367

Median Income

$119,300

Median Home Value

Rockcastle County covers 317 sq mi of land at 51.0 people per square mile.

About Rockcastle County, KY

Rockcastle County is a county in Kentucky with a population of 16,144. It ranks #70 among counties in Kentucky by population. The median age is 42.8, older than the national median. The population is 49.4% male and 50.6% female.

The median household income in Rockcastle County is $48,367, below the US median of $74,580. 19.6% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $119,300, with monthly rent averaging $678. The homeownership rate of 76.4% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Rockcastle County reflects 13.7% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 8.1% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 26.8 minutes each way.

Rockcastle County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Rockcastle County had a population of 17,086 in 2010 and 16,226 in 2024, a -5.0% growth over 14 years. The peak was 17,113 in 2011. Average annual growth rate: -0.36%.

16,226

Population (2024)

17,086

Population (2010)

17,113

Peak (2011)

-0.36%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	17,086	-	-	estimate
2011	17,113	+27	+0.16%	estimate
2012	17,063	-50	-0.29%	estimate
2013	16,748	-315	-1.85%	estimate
2014	16,832	+84	+0.50%	estimate
2015	16,938	+106	+0.63%	estimate
2016	16,879	-59	-0.35%	estimate
2017	16,780	-99	-0.59%	estimate
2018	16,830	+50	+0.30%	estimate
2019	16,736	-94	-0.56%	estimate
2020	16,063	-673	-4.02%	estimate
2021	16,141	+78	+0.49%	estimate
2022	16,213	+72	+0.45%	estimate
2023	16,171	-42	-0.26%	estimate
2024	16,226	+55	+0.34%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	96.6%
Black or African American	0.6%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.0%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

42.8

Median Age

50.6%

Female

49.4%

Male

19.3%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.4%

5–9

5.8%

10–14

6.1%

15–19

6.1%

20–24

5.4%

25–34

11.7%

35–44

11.4%

45–54

14.0%

55–59

6.6%

60–64

8.3%

65–74

11.4%

75–84

6.1%

85+

1.8%

Children (under 15): 17.3% · Seniors (65+): 19.3%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$48,367$-14,050 vs state
Mean household income	$67,845
Per-capita income	$28,133
Poverty rate	19.6%+7.8% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.9%
Employment-to-population	45.6%

Top Industries by Employment

Professional & business services

28.7%

Manufacturing

19.5%

Construction

7.4%

Finance & real estate

5.9%

Retail trade

5.2%

Education & health care

4.9%

Public administration

4.2%

Information

4.1%

The largest employment sector in Rockcastle County is professional & business services, accounting for 28.7% of workers.

How residents commute

0.2%

Drive alone

1.3%

Carpool

80.1%

Public transit

8.1%

Work from home

26.8 min

Avg commute

Housing

$119,300$-73,000 vs state

Median home value

$678

Median rent

76.4%

Homeownership rate

7,377

Total housing units

87.1%

Occupied

12.9%

Vacant

23.6%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

95.1%

With health insurance

89.6%

With broadband internet

15.1%

Foreign-born

5.4%

Veterans (18+)

22.3%

With a disability

98.9%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

81.4%

High School+

13.7%

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

Rockcastle County, Kentucky has a population of 16,144 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 70th-largest county in Kentucky. Population density is 51 people per square mile.

The population of Rockcastle County has declined 5.0% since 2010 (17,086 → 16,226), a -0.37% annualized rate.

The median household income in Rockcastle County, Kentucky is $48,367, with mean (average) household income of $67,845 and per-capita income of $28,133. 19.6% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Rockcastle County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (96.6%), Hispanic or Latino (1.0%), Black or African American (0.6%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Rockcastle County, Kentucky is 42.8 years. Residents are 50.6% female and 49.4% male.

The median home value in Rockcastle County is $119,300 and median monthly rent is $678. 76.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 7,377 total housing units, 12.9% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Rockcastle County, Kentucky is professional, scientific, and management services, employing 28.7% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.9%.

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