Harlan County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Harlan County Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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F
Harlan County Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Harlan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $41,438 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,891 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 6.5% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 2.8% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 2.3% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Harlan County is about 36% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing faster in Harlan County (6.5%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Harlan County earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Kentucky average of 9%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Harlan County, Kentucky grew by 54.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $41,438 in 2024. That's an average of about 6.5% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Harlan County
| Metric | Harlan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.560 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $48,446 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,702 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 13.9% | 19.4% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Harlan County, it is 0.560, higher than Kentucky's 0.547, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 16% more than women's income in Harlan County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 16% wage gap accumulates to roughly $236,040 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Harlan County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 30% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,251 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Harlan County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.5% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.8% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 17 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 808 people are unemployed in Harlan County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Harlan County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 20 minutes in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Harlan County, Kentucky has fallen from 9.6% to 9.5% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.6% in 2021 and fell as low as 9.5% in 2018.
Harlan County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Harlan County, KY is the 2nd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 25,771 residents against a local median of 20,808. Where Harlan County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is income growth, sitting 64% above the local median of 3.9%/yr at 6.5%/yr. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Unemployment tells the same story from another angle: 9.5% against a local median of 6.2%, 55% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so Harlan County, KY is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 2.0%/yr on income growth, so Harlan County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Harlan County, KY has the highest income growth of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harlan County, KY | 25,771 | $41,438 #4/6 | 6.5%/yr #1/6 | 9.5% #6/6 | 0.560 #3/6 |
| Lee County, VA | 21,899 | $42,003 | 3.4%/yr | 9.5% | 0.573 |
| Leslie County, KY | 10,079 | $36,418 | 5.1%/yr | 3.8% | 0.596 |
| Hancock County, TN | 6,852 | $34,955 | 3.0%/yr | 6.3% | 0.555 |
| Perry County, KY | 27,499 | $42,766 | 3.9%/yr | 5.8% | 0.582 |
| Letcher County, KY | 20,808 | $41,776 | 4.6%/yr | 6.2% | 0.551 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Harlan County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of F, making it somewhat worse than Kentucky, and worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Harlan County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Harlan County, Kentucky?
Harlan County has a wealth index grade of F. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; an F grade means residents are well below the U.S. average. The median household income is $41,438, about 36% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Harlan County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Harlan County, Kentucky rose 54%, from $26,879 to $41,438. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +54% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Harlan County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Harlan County, Kentucky was $38,301, up 9% from $35,145 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Harlan County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Harlan County, Kentucky was $28,794. By 2024 it had risen 44% to $41,438.
Is unemployment high in Harlan County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Harlan County, Kentucky is 9.5%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Harlan County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Harlan County is 0.560. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Harlan County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Harlan County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 30% to 14% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 35% in 2013. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,251 since 2009.
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