Kentucky

Key Details

• As of July 1st, 2023, Kentucky has 4,526,154 residents, making it one of the mid-range populous states in the U.S.
• Kentucky has 2,036,728 housing units, with up to 12% of them vacant and 68% owner-occupied.
• Kentucky has a moderately educated populace, with 88.2% being high school graduates and 26.5% having a bachelor's degree or higher.
• The governor of Kentucky is Andy Beshear, a Democrat who has served since December 2019.
• The median household income is $60,183, lower than the national average by $14,9666. 16.5% of Kentuckians live in poverty,
• The average life expectancy for Kentucky is 76.3 years.

Kentucky Population Demographics

Kentucky's population of over 4.5 million is modest compared with neighboring states such as Ohio and Illinois. However, it is significantly larger than that of states like West Virginia.

Kentucky is predominantly inhabited by whites, who account for 86.7% of the population. African Americans constitute the largest minority group at 8.8% of the population. Asians and American Indians represent the minority race in the state at 1.8% and 0.3%.

The population distribution by gender in Kentucky is relatively balanced at 50.4% females aligning closely with the national average of 50.5%. The male population stands at 49.6%. Persons 65 and older represent 17.8% of Kentucky's population, while residents under 18 account for 22.5% of the populace. Kentucky's immigrant population is relatively small at 5%.

Elections and Voting

Kentucky's political landscape is predominantly dominated by the Democratic and Republican parties. Historically, the Democratic Party held significant influence. However, in recent decades, the Republican Party has dominated Kentucky's politics.

All governors in the state are affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic Party. The last non-partisan governor was Simon Bolivar Buckner, who served between 1887 to 1891.

Kentucky's 63rd governor is a Democrat, Andy Beshear, who assumed office in 2019. However, the President of the State Senate and the State Speaker of the House are Republicans. Also, Kentucky has 38 state Senate seats, with Republicans holding 31 seats. Likewise, there are 100 House of Representative seats. The Republican party holds a significant majority with 80 seats. Since 2017, the Republican Party has dominated both houses.

At the federal level, Kentucky is represented by Mitch McConnel and Rand Paul, Republicans, with the former being Kentucky's longest-serving senator.

Historically a Democratic stronghold, the state has voted in favor of the Red party in every section since 1980. For presidential elections held between 2012 to date, over 60% of voters choose the Republican Party. In the 2020 elections, an overwhelming 1.3 million Kentuckians voted for the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump.

Housing, Income, and Employment

As of 2022, Kentucky has 2.036,728 housing units, with about 12% vacant. Owner-occupied homes comprise 68.1%. The average number of persons per household is 2.48, which is just the national average of 2.57.

The median household income in Kentucky is $60,183, below the national average of $75,149, reflecting this income gap, which is a significant factor contributing to the state's rental culture.

The median home value is $162,000, significantly lower than the national median of $244,000, while the average monthly rent is about $902, which is $366 below the national average. This lower rental cost reflects the income disparity in the state, as many residents find it challenging to transition from renting to owning despite the relatively lower housing prices.

The unemployment rate as of 2023 is approximately 4.8%, slightly lower than the national average of 4.5%, indicating a moderately competitive job market.

Kentucky Crime Rates

In 2022, the violent crime rate for Kentucky stood at 380 per 100,000 people, higher than the national average of 214 per 100,000 residents. There were 8,419 incidents of violent crimes reported to law enforcement agencies during the period. The violent crime in the state is broken as follows:

• Aggravated assault 58%
• Robbery 20%
• Rape 19%
• Homicide 3%

The property crime index in Kentucky stands at 1448 per 100,000 residents, against the national crime index at 1954 per 100,000 people. There were 66,853 property crime incidents in the state. Larceny theft is the most notable property crime committed in the state at 70%, next to motor vehicle theft at 14%. Burglary accounts for 16% of property crimes. Arson accounts for 1% of property crimes in Kentucky.

Jefferson County reports the highest crime rate in Kentucky, with 640 incidents per 100,000 residents for violent crimes against the state's average of 380 per 100,000. Property crimes for the county are around 3,100 incidents per 100,000 people, surpassing the state's and national averages.

Oldham County's crime rate is impressively low, with about 50 incidents per 100,000 residents for violent crimes and 800 incidents per 100,000 persons for property crimes.

How to Find People in Kentucky

Finding people in Kentucky has become relatively easy through social media, online search tools, and public records. Social media tools like Twitter and Facebook, online search tools, and public records, such as vital, court, and property records, offer comprehensive information beyond contact details.

These tools not only help in locating someone's current address but also provide additional information that is necessary for personal, professional, and legal purposes. They can help you reconnect with loved ones and locate childhood friends.

Interesting Facts About Kentucky