Kentucky · GEOID 21147

McCreary County

2024 ACS 5-year estimates · population 16,867 · 6,920 housing units

Median household income

$33,750

State $64,919

Median home value

$85,300

State $206,017

Median gross rent

$577

State $980

Homeownership rate

74.2%

State 68.3%

Renter cost-burden rate

46.5%

≥30% of income

Owner cost-burden rate

23.5%

≥30% of income

Homeowner vacancy

2.3%

Of owner-occupied + for-sale units

Rental vacancy

6.3%

Of renter-occupied + for-rent units

Overall vacancy

15.3%

All housing units

Price-to-income ratio

2.53

Affordable: 2.0–3.0

Section 1

Community Profile

Population, demographics, household composition, and income.

Community Data Summary

	McCreary County	Kentucky
Population	16,867	4,534,824
Population density (per sq. mi.)	39.53	—
Median household income	$33,750	$64,919
HUD Area Median Income (4-person, 100%)	$44,800	—
Households	5,861	—
Average household size	2.56 people	—
Owner-occupied	74.2%	68.3%
Renter-occupied	25.8%	31.7%
Race	90.0% White · 6.3% Black	0.0% White · 0.0% Black

Source: ACS 5-year 2024 (Tables DP05, S1101, DP04, S1901) and Census Gazetteer (land area); HUD FY2026 Income Limits.

Racial composition

McCreary County compared with Kentucky.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP05.

Educational attainment (population 25+)

8.5% hold a bachelor's degree or higher (state: 27.6%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1501.

Median Household Income by Tenure

Owner-occupied vs. renter-occupied household income, county and state.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25119.

Median Household Income by Age of Householder

Median household income by age group of householder.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B19049.

Median Household Income by Number of Earners

Median household income for families with each earner count.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903.

Household Size

Distribution of households by number of people.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2501.

Income by Number of Earners

Earners	Share	Median income	Attainable monthly housing cost	Attainable home
0 earners	32.9%	$21,599	$540	$49,379
1 earner	36.6%	$42,222	$1,056	$126,145
2 earners	24.8%	$74,039	$1,851	$244,579
3+ earners	5.7%	$114,559	$2,864	$395,408

Attainable monthly housing cost = 30% of gross income ÷ 12. Attainable home price assumes 30% housing budget, 30-yr mortgage at 7%, 5% down.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S1903; affordability formula derived.

Households

5,861

Average size: 2.56 people

Households with children

1,484

25.3% of households

Per-capita income

$17,150

Poverty rate: 39.7%

Section 2

Residential Market Analysis

Housing stock characteristics — tenure, type, age, size, vacancy, rents.

Tenure

74.2% owner-occupied vs. state average 68.3%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Structure type

Single-family share 65.9% · Missing middle (2–19 units) 6.5%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25024.

Housing stock by decade

37.4% built before 1980 · Median structure age 1,987.00 yrs.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2504.

Housing size mismatch

Compares the share of housing units by bedroom count against the share of households by size — a common diagnostic of housing supply/demand alignment.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Tables B25041 (bedrooms) and S2501 (household size).

Home value distribution

Owner-occupied homes by value bracket. Median: $85,300.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table DP04.

Monthly Housing Costs

Distribution of monthly housing costs across all occupied units.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25104.

Number of Bedrooms

Housing units by number of bedrooms.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25041.

Median rent by bedroom

Overall median gross rent: $577.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25031.

Renters by age

Number of renter householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Owners by age

Number of owner householders by age bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table S2502.

Vacancy composition

All 1,059 vacant units split into Census's seven categories. Frictional vacancy (units actively on the market) reflects healthy churn. Structural vacancy (seasonal, migrant, other) sits outside the market for year-round residents — high values change how the headline vacancy rate should be read.

Vacant units by type

For sale 9.7% · For rent 9.5% · Seasonal 8.4% · Other 72.3%.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Frictional vs structural

19.3% of vacancy is frictional (for sale + for rent + rented/sold not yet occupied); 80.7% is structural (seasonal + migrant + other).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25004.

Seasonal / recreational share of all housing

1.3%

89 units of 6,920 total

Housing units held for seasonal or recreational use.

"Other vacant" share of all housing

11.1%

766 units of 6,920 total

⚑ Above the 5% threshold — possible indicator of disinvestment, abandonment, or condemned stock.

Section 3

Workforce Housing Needs Assessment

Affordability, cost burden, and the housing options for households in the workforce income range.

Workforce range — ACS median household income

80% MHI$27,000

100% MHI$33,750

120% MHI$40,500

County-wide median from ACS 5-year estimates. A household at 100% MHI in McCreary County should be able to afford a home up to roughly — (30% housing budget, default mortgage terms).

Workforce range — HUD Area Median Income

	1-person	2-person	4-person
80% AMI	$40,250	$46,000	$57,500
100% AMI	$31,360	$35,840	$44,800
120% AMI	$37,650	$43,000	$53,750

HUD FMR Area: McCreary County, KY. 80% AMI uses HUD's published Section 8 Low Income Limits; 100% is HUD MFI; 120% is the standard workforce convention.

Affordability calculator

Follows the standard 30%-of-gross-income affordability rule.

Income basis Household income Interest rate % Down payment % Taxes & insurance / yr

Affordable monthly—

Affordable home price—

Renter cost burden

46.5% of renter households spend ≥30% of income on rent (28.6% spend ≥50%).

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25070.

Owner cost burden by income

23.5% of homeowners spend ≥30% of income on housing. Bars show counts of cost-burdened owners by income bracket.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25106.

Household income — owners vs renters

Distribution of household income for owner-occupied (navy) and renter-occupied (gold) households.

Source: ACS 5-year 2024, Table B25118.

Section 4

Industry & Workforce Wages

Employment, average wages, and the housing each industry's typical earner can afford in McCreary County.

Covered employment

1,461

Across 8 sectors

Establishments

136

QCEW 2024

Avg annual pay (workforce)

$52,132

Employment-weighted across sectors

Top 10 sectors by employment

Annual average employment by NAICS 2-digit sector. Counties with fewer than five covered establishments in a sector may show suppressed totals.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024.

Attainable housing by industry

Industry	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 92 Public administration NAICS 92	470	$90,463	$305,714	+$220,414	$2,262
NAICS 31-33 Manufacturing NAICS 31-33	351	$45,118	$136,925	+$51,625	$1,128
NAICS 44-45 Retail trade NAICS 44-45	327	$30,885	$83,945	−$1,355	$772
NAICS 72 Accommodation and food services NAICS 72	223	$14,785	$24,015	−$61,285	$370
NAICS 56 Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services NAICS 56	39	$53,578	$168,416	+$83,116	$1,339
NAICS 54 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 54	30	$37,946	$110,228	+$24,928	$949
NAICS 48-49 Transportation and warehousing NAICS 48-49	16	$56,300	$178,548	+$93,248	$1,408
NAICS 71 Arts, entertainment, and recreation NAICS 71	5	$57,035	$181,284	+$95,984	$1,426

Subsector	Employment	Avg annual wage	Affordable home price	vs. median value	Affordable monthly rent
NAICS 922 Justice, public order, and safety activities NAICS 922	401	$92,310	$312,590	+$227,290	$2,308
NAICS 624 Social assistance NAICS 624	205	$26,635	$68,125	−$17,175	$666
NAICS 621 Ambulatory health care services NAICS 621	162	$47,799	$146,905	+$61,605	$1,195
NAICS 924 Administration of environmental quality programs NAICS 924	84	$73,565	$242,814	+$157,514	$1,839
NAICS 522 Credit intermediation and related activities NAICS 522	68	$44,005	$132,782	+$47,482	$1,100
NAICS 457 Gasoline stations and fuel dealers NAICS 457	35	$14,311	$22,251	−$63,049	$358
NAICS 459 Sporting goods, hobby, musical instrument, book, and miscellaneous retailers NAICS 459	33	$24,029	$58,425	−$26,875	$601
NAICS 541 Professional, scientific, and technical services NAICS 541	30	$37,946	$110,228	+$24,928	$949
NAICS 238 Specialty trade contractors NAICS 238	28	$73,908	$244,091	+$158,791	$1,848
NAICS 441 Motor vehicle and parts dealers NAICS 441	26	$21,394	$48,616	−$36,684	$535
NAICS 491 Postal service NAICS 491	16	$56,300	$178,548	+$93,248	$1,408
NAICS 712 Museums, historical sites, and similar institutions NAICS 712	5	$57,035	$181,284	+$95,984	$1,426

Affordable home price assumes the industry's average earner uses 30% of gross income for housing, with a 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr taxes & insurance, and 0.5% PMI. Adjust the Section 3 calculator for other terms. Affordable rent is 30% of monthly gross pay.

Source: BLS QCEW Annual Averages, 2024; ACS 5-year 2024 (median home value).

Section 5

Wages by Occupation

Selected essential-worker occupations for the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county — jobs, the 10-year change, wages, and the housing each typical earner can afford. Both jobs counts and wages are reported at the MSA / nonmetropolitan-area level (BLS does not publish OEWS at the county level), so every county inside the same area shows the same numbers. For county-accurate employment totals, see Section 4 above.

Occupational wages and affordable housing

Occupation	2025 jobs	2015–2025 change	% change	Hourly wage	Annual wage	Affordable home price	Affordable monthly rent
Fast Food and Counter Workers SOC 35-3023 · prior-year code differs	3,770	(3,040)	(45%)	$11.52	$23,960	$58,168	$599
Cashiers SOC 41-2011	4,610	(290)	(6%)	$12.87	$26,760	$68,590	$669
Childcare Workers SOC 39-9011	430	(790)	(65%)	$12.95	$26,940	$69,260	$674
Waiters and Waitresses SOC 35-3031	1,820	60	3%	$14.59	$30,340	$81,916	$759
Firefighters SOC 33-2011	330	—	—	$14.62	$30,410	$82,177	$760
Retail Salespersons SOC 41-2031	4,380	(300)	(6%)	$15.03	$31,270	$85,378	$782
Janitors and Cleaners SOC 37-2011	2,230	80	4%	$15.59	$32,440	$89,733	$811
Office Clerks, General SOC 43-9061	2,360	610	35%	$17.20	$35,780	$102,166	$895
Home Health and Personal Care Aides SOC 31-1131 · prior-year code differs	2,230	(620)	(22%)	$17.50	$36,400	$104,474	$910
Tellers SOC 43-3071	520	(400)	(43%)	$18.02	$37,490	$108,531	$937
Construction Laborers SOC 47-2061	1,080	390	57%	$20.98	$43,630	$131,386	$1,091
Maintenance and Repair Workers, General SOC 49-9071	2,100	370	21%	$23.21	$48,270	$148,658	$1,207
Paramedics SOC 29-2043 · prior-year code differs	190	(540)	(74%)	$23.51	$48,900	$151,003	$1,223
Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers SOC 33-3051	790	(20)	(2%)	$23.52	$48,910	$151,040	$1,223
Carpenters SOC 47-2031	590	(90)	(13%)	$24.00	$49,920	$154,800	$1,248
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers SOC 53-3032	2,970	(530)	(15%)	$25.61	$53,270	$167,270	$1,332
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education SOC 25-2021	2,160	(150)	(6%)	—	$54,370	$171,364	$1,359
Electricians SOC 47-2111	580	100	21%	$26.78	$55,700	$176,315	$1,393
Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters SOC 47-2152	300	90	43%	$29.89	$62,180	$200,436	$1,555
Registered Nurses SOC 29-1141	3,770	290	8%	$39.46	$82,070	$274,473	$2,052

Affordable home price uses the same Section 3 formula (30% housing budget, 30-year mortgage at 7%, 5% down, $2,500/yr T&I, 0.5% PMI). Affordable rent is 30% of monthly wages. Negative job-change values are shown in red parentheses. A "prior-year code differs" note flags occupations whose SOC code changed between the two vintages (2010 SOC → 2018 SOC) — the change estimate is best-effort.

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (10-year change vs. May 2015). Jobs counts and wages reflect the MSA or nonmetropolitan area containing this county, not the county alone — OEWS is not published at the county level.

Methodology & sources

All figures derive from the 2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates. State and national comparisons are population-weighted aggregates of county-level estimates (an approximation; ACS publishes its own state and national medians which can differ slightly).

The affordability calculator uses a 30% housing-budget rule with a 30-year mortgage. Defaults are 7% interest, 5% down, $2,500/year taxes and insurance, and 0.5% PMI — adjustable above.

Variables: 21147 · pulled from Full Housing Data Table.xlsx.