Letcher County, Kentucky Income Statistics
Letcher 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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D
Letcher County Well below averageLess wealthy than 84% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Letcher County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $41,776 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $41,626 | $52,849 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.6% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 3.0% | 8.9% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 0.6% | 7.2% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Letcher County is about 35% lower than in Kentucky. Income has been growing slower in Letcher County (4.6%/yr) than in Kentucky (4.6%/yr).
About 3% of adults in Letcher 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 Letcher County, Kentucky grew by 45.1% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $41,776 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Letcher County
| Metric | Letcher County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.551 | 0.547 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,526 | $60,966 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $36,540 | $49,119 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 27.7% | 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 Letcher County, it is 0.551, about the same as Kentucky's 0.547, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 38% more than women's income in Letcher County, Kentucky. Over a 35-year career, a 38% wage gap accumulates to roughly $489,510 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Letcher County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 42% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2014, and was narrowest at 19% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,495 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | Letcher County | Kentucky Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.2% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.6% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 20 | 20 | 22 |
Approximately 445 people are unemployed in Letcher County, Kentucky.
The average commute time in Letcher County is 20 minutes, about the same as in Kentucky.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Letcher County, Kentucky has fallen from 10.0% to 6.2% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 12.9% in 2016 and fell as low as 5.8% in 2023.
Letcher County, KY Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Letcher County, KY is the 4th largest of the 5 counties compared here, 20,808 residents against a local median of 26,635. Where Letcher County, KY breaks from the counties next to it is unemployment, sitting 30% below the local median of 8.7% at 6.2%. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
The counties themselves spread 3.8% on unemployment, so Letcher County, KY sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Letcher County, KY has the 2nd lowest unemployment of the 5 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Letcher County, KY | 20,808 | $41,776 #4/5 | 4.6%/yr #4/5 | 6.2% #2/5 | 0.551 #1/5 |
| Knott County, KY | 13,830 | $41,985 | 5.0%/yr | 9.3% | 0.567 |
| Wise County, VA | 35,431 | $53,154 | 4.9%/yr | 8.2% | 0.556 |
| Perry County, KY | 27,499 | $42,766 | 3.9%/yr | 5.8% | 0.582 |
| Harlan County, KY | 25,771 | $41,438 | 6.5%/yr | 9.5% | 0.560 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Letcher County, Kentucky has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Kentucky, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Letcher County, Kentucky.
How Rich Is Letcher County, Kentucky?
Letcher County has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $41,776, about 35% lower than the Kentucky average of $64,312.
Are incomes growing in Letcher County, Kentucky?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Letcher County, Kentucky rose 45%, from $28,786 to $41,776. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Kentucky as a whole: +45% against +56%.
What was the median household income in Letcher County in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Letcher County, Kentucky was $40,816, up 8% from $37,687 in 2022. The Kentucky median that year was $62,783.
What was the median household income in Letcher County in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Letcher County, Kentucky was $32,746. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $41,776.
Is unemployment high in Letcher County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Letcher County, Kentucky is 6.2%, well above the Kentucky rate of 4.8%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Letcher County, Kentucky?
The Gini coefficient in Letcher County is 0.551. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Letcher County, Kentucky?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Letcher County, Kentucky has narrowed from about 42% to 28% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 45% in 2014, and was narrowest at 19% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has narrowed by $5,495 since 2009.
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