Monroe County, Kentucky Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Monroe County, KY Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below averageLess healthy than 81% of counties in Kentucky
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D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Monroe County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,269 | 4,533,530 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 34.0 | 112.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.68% | 0.33% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 42.1 | 37.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,645 | 1,813,524 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Monroe County declined by 3.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 11,269 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Monroe County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.9% of residents. That is 0.8 points above Kentucky as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,221 19.7% -1.6 pts
- Millennials 29–44 2,131 18.9% -2.0 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,356 20.9% +0.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,181 19.4% +1.5 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Kentucky, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 50.0% of the people living in Monroe County and men 50.0%.
- Women 50.0% Kentucky 50.5%
- Men 50.0% Kentucky 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Monroe County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Monroe County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Monroe County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,443 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.66% | 4.62% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Monroe County is about 18% lower than in Kentucky.
Housing
| Metric | Monroe County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $65,000 | $118,017 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $657 | $967 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.9% | 68.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Monroe County is about 8.2 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $657 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Monroe County spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 141 hours, about 5.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Monroe County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.0 | 20.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.9 | 41.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 141 | 173 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,383 | $5,369 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 4.5% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,447 | 6,995 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 375 | 832 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Kentucky:
Calloway County (13.9 min), Owsley County (15.0 min), Taylor County (15.3 min).
Slowest:
Owen County (37.7 min), Spencer County (33.3 min), Bracken County (33.2 min).
The average commute time in Monroe County is 17 minutes, shorter than the 21 minutes in Kentucky.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Monroe County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Monroe County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 24.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.40 | 2.43 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Kentucky:
Fayette County (0.4), Oldham County (0.4), Campbell County (0.3).
Lowest:
Leslie County (0.1), Lee County (0.1), Elliott County (0.1).
Health
Monroe County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Monroe County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 72.2 | 75.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 25.1% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 27.4% | 26.0% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Kentucky:
Oldham County (0.8), Boone County (0.8), Scott County (0.8).
Lowest:
Clay County (0.7), Bell County (0.7), McCreary County (0.7).
Monroe County, KY Compared With Nearby Counties
How Monroe County, KY compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe County, KY | 11,269 | $52,443 #2/3 | $65,000 #3/3 | 17.0 min #1/3 |
| Barren County, KY | 44,937 | $50,825 | $230,769 | 18.2 min |
| Macon County, TN | 26,240 | $58,828 | $282,916 | 31.7 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Monroe County, Kentucky.
How many people live in Monroe County, Kentucky?
About 11,269 people live in Monroe County, Kentucky, in 4,645 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 42.1, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 5 years.
How densely populated is Monroe County, Kentucky?
Averaged over its land area, Monroe County, Kentucky has 34 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 39% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Monroe County, Kentucky?
The median home costs 1.2 times the median household income ($65,000 against $52,443), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $657 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Monroe County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Monroe County, Kentucky is only 4.0%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How educated are people in Monroe County, Kentucky?
15.1% of adults in Monroe County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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