Ranking of Kentucky Counties By Poverty Rate in 2021 (ACS-5Yrs)

Updated on March 17, 2025.

Based on the US Census ACS-5Yrs estimates, in 2021, the Poverty Rate for Kentucky was 16.27%. Among all Kentucky counties, Wolfe County had the highest poverty rate (34.64%), followed by Leslie County (34.58%), and Knox County (34.54%). On the other hand, the following 3 counties had the lowest poverty rate: Oldham County (4.2%), Boone County (6.08%), and Spencer County (6.61%).

The chart below shows the top 10 Kentucky counties with high poverty rate, and the table below shows the ranking of all Kentucky counties.

You can also see similar information for other states and for the United States.

Data Source: US Census Bureau.
Ranking of Kentucky Counties By Poverty Rate in 2021
Wolfe County
Leslie County
Knox County
Harlan County
Clay County
Breathitt County
Letcher County
Carter County
McCreary County
Lee County
Ranking of Kentucky Counties By Poverty Rate in 2021
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Rank County Poverty Rate (%)
1 Wolfe County 34.64
2 Leslie County 34.58
3 Knox County 34.54
4 Harlan County 33.58
5 Clay County 33.56
6 Breathitt County 31.30
7 Letcher County 31.22
8 Carter County 30.23
9 McCreary County 30.04
10 Lee County 29.99
11 Knott County 29.54
12 Magoffin County 29.03
13 Floyd County 29.00
14 Bell County 28.30
15 Jackson County 28.29
16 Owsley County 27.72
17 Lewis County 27.03
18 Menifee County 26.42
19 Lawrence County 26.10
20 Estill County 25.66
21 Pike County 25.57
22 Elliott County 25.44
23 Rowan County 25.38
24 Fulton County 25.15
25 Casey County 24.86
25 Cumberland County 24.86
26 Carroll County 24.30
27 Monroe County 24.27
28 Grayson County 23.72
29 Barren County 23.59
30 Russell County 23.04
31 Pulaski County 22.95
32 Robertson County 22.93
33 Clinton County 22.87
34 Bath County 22.51
35 Wayne County 22.48
36 Martin County 22.38
37 Morgan County 22.29
38 Laurel County 22.16
39 Green County 22.10
40 Hart County 21.85
41 Whitley County 21.58
42 Perry County 21.53
43 Todd County 21.50
44 Metcalfe County 21.19
44 Rockcastle County 21.19
45 Johnson County 20.52
46 Hickman County 20.39
47 Hopkins County 20.03
48 Marion County 19.85
49 Carlisle County 19.66
50 Breckinridge County 19.51
51 Nicholas County 19.27
52 Lincoln County 18.86
53 Pendleton County 18.79
54 Union County 18.75
55 Powell County 18.56
56 Graves County 18.52
57 Calloway County 18.43
58 Bracken County 18.41
59 Allen County 18.39
60 Adair County 18.23
61 Butler County 18.16
62 Gallatin County 18.06
63 Logan County 18.02
64 Montgomery County 17.82
65 Boyd County 17.63
66 Henry County 17.41
66 Trigg County 17.41
67 Christian County 16.99
68 Edmonson County 16.94
69 Harrison County 16.89
70 Livingston County 16.78
71 Warren County 16.74
72 Webster County 16.67
73 Henderson County 16.36
74 Mason County 16.29
75 Larue County 16.13
76 Madison County 16.03
77 Fayette County 15.71
78 Fleming County 15.55
79 Ohio County 15.46
80 Owen County 15.41
81 Crittenden County 15.24
82 Muhlenberg County 15.13
83 McCracken County 15.08
84 Daviess County 14.81
85 Greenup County 14.76
85 Taylor County 14.76
86 Caldwell County 14.70
87 Boyle County 14.52
88 Garrard County 14.46
89 Trimble County 14.26
90 Clark County 14.14
91 Ballard County 14.03
92 Jefferson County 13.74
93 Anderson County 13.71
93 Washington County 13.71
94 Bourbon County 13.69
95 Franklin County 13.28
96 Meade County 13.13
97 Hancock County 13.07
98 Grant County 12.75
99 Jessamine County 12.58
100 Simpson County 12.47
101 Campbell County 12.22
102 Mercer County 11.99
103 Kenton County 11.89
104 Marshall County 11.71
105 Hardin County 11.25
106 McLean County 10.75
107 Scott County 10.17
108 Bullitt County 10.16
109 Lyon County 10.07
110 Shelby County 9.39
111 Nelson County 8.11
112 Woodford County 7.34
113 Spencer County 6.61
114 Boone County 6.08
115 Oldham County 4.20