Nelson County, Kentucky Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Nelson 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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B
Health Around averageHealthier than 89% of counties in Kentucky
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B
Income Around averageWealthier than 92% of counties in Kentucky
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 75% of counties in Kentucky
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Nelson County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 47,606 | 4,533,530 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 112.3 | 112.2 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.74% | 0.33% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.3 | 37.5 | 37.3 |
| Households | 19,150 | 1,813,524 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Nelson County grew by 12.5% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 47,606 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Nelson County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.2% of residents. That is 1.1 points above Kentucky as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 9,695 20.4% -1.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 9,908 20.8% on par
- Gen X 45–60 10,111 21.2% +1.1 pts
- Boomers 61–79 8,165 17.2% -0.7 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 50.4% of the people living in Nelson County and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% Kentucky 50.5%
- Men 49.6% Kentucky 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Nelson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Nelson County has a the economy index of B, which means it is quite prosperous.
| Metric | Nelson County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $69,485 | $64,312 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.67% | 4.62% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.3% | 4.8% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Nelson County is about 8% higher than in Kentucky.
Housing
| Metric | Nelson County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $277,840 | $118,017 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $1,008 | $967 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 78.3% | 68.3% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Nelson County is about 23.0 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $1,008 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Nelson County spend about 44 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 185 hours, about 7.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Nelson County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 22.2 | 20.8 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 44.4 | 41.6 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 185 | 173 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,734 | $5,369 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 10.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 5,812 | 6,995 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 534 | 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 Nelson County is 22 minutes, longer 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
Nelson County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Nelson County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.8% | 24.5% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 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
Nelson County has a health index of B, which means it is quite healthy.
| Metric | Nelson County | Kentucky Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.8 | 75.0 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 17.7% | 23.2% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.5% | 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).
Nelson County, KY Compared With Nearby Counties
How Nelson County, KY compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nelson County, KY | 47,606 | $69,485 #3/3 | $277,840 #2/3 | 22.2 min #1/3 |
| Spencer County, KY | 20,193 | $100,880 | $443,750 | 33.3 min |
| Bullitt County, KY | 84,027 | $81,944 | $187,115 | 28.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Nelson County, Kentucky.
What is the population of Nelson County, Kentucky?
About 47,606 people live in Nelson County, Kentucky, in 19,150 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 38.3, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Nelson County, Kentucky?
Averaged over its land area, Nelson County, Kentucky has 112 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Nelson County, Kentucky?
The median home costs 4.0 times the median household income ($277,840 against $69,485), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $1,008 a month takes about 17% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Nelson County, Kentucky?
Unemployment in Nelson County, Kentucky is only 3.3%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Nelson County, Kentucky have a college degree?
20.8% of adults in Nelson County, Kentucky hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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