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  • FIPS 21147

McCreary County, Kentucky

McCreary County had 16,824 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 426.7 square miles of land. It ranks 68th of 120 in Kentucky by population and 26th by land area.

Population
16,824
#68 of 120 in Kentucky · #1,987 in US
Area
426.7 sq mi
#26 of 120 in Kentucky · #2,379 in US
Density
39 / sq mi
#87 of 120 in Kentucky · #1,688 in US
Median household income
$36,348
#116 of 120 in Kentucky · #3,122 in US

Census Vintage 2024 estimates · SAIPE 2023 income · 2024 Gazetteer land area

McCreary County within Kentucky. Pin: Frankfort.

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McCreary County population, land area and income

McCreary County had 16,824 residents in the Census Vintage 2024 estimate, on 426.7 square miles of land. It ranks 68th of 120 in Kentucky by population and 26th by land area. That works out to 39.4 people per square mile, below the US average of 96.3, and below the national county median.

The median county-equivalent in Kentucky has 19,740 residents; McCreary County is somewhat smaller.

Its SAIPE 2023 median household income of $36,348 is in the bottom quarter among 3,143 counties with an estimate.

National rank among 3,144

Population

16,824

3144th1st

1987th of 3,144 (US)

Land area

427 sq mi

3144th1st

2379th of 3,144 (US)

Density

39.4 / sq mi

3144th1st

1688th of 3,144 (US)

Median household income

$36,348

3143rd1st

3122nd of 3,143 (US)

Rank within Kentucky (120)

Population

16,824

120th1st

68th of 120 (KY)

Land area

427 sq mi

120th1st

26th of 120 (KY)

Density

39.4 / sq mi

120th1st

87th of 120 (KY)

Median household income

$36,348

120th1st

116th of 120 (KY)

How McCreary County's population changed since 2020

McCreary County lost 28 residents between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates, a drop of 0.2%. That ranks 76th of 120 in Kentucky for growth. The median Kentucky county changed by +1.4%, and the state as a whole by +1.8%.

Since the April 2020 estimates base, McCreary County recorded 795 births and 1,150 deaths, a natural change of -355. Net international migration added +11 and net domestic migration, people moving to or from other US counties, came to +262. The largest single component was natural change, which removed 355 people.

16.9k202016.8k202116.8k202217.1k202316.8k2024
Census Vintage 2024 county estimates for July 1 of each year. The axis starts above zero so year-to-year changes are visible.

Components of change, April 2020 to July 2024

Births
795
Deaths
1,150
Net international migration
+11
Net domestic migration
+262
Change, July 2023 to July 2024
-245

Where McCreary County is

The Census internal point of McCreary County is at 36.731100, -84.491100. It sits in UTM zone 16N. The map shades Kentucky's 120 county-equivalents by population change from 2020 to 2024, darker for faster growth, with McCreary County outlined. Dots are towns of 1,000+ people with residents in it.

Adair County: +1.9%Kenton County: +3.3%Owen County: +1.2%Morgan County: +4.1%Bracken County: +1.1%Edmonson County: +4.0%Trigg County: +3.4%Jackson County: +3.0%Spencer County: +6.8%Clark County: +1.7%Jessamine County: +6.6%Green County: +3.8%Henry County: +3.2%Graves County: +0.8%Webster County: -1.3%Washington County: +1.9%Ohio County: +0.8%Knott County: -5.1%Meade County: +1.4%Carroll County: +2.5%Scott County: +7.2%Lincoln County: +2.7%Greenup County: -1.7%Boyle County: +2.1%Hardin County: +1.8%Nelson County: +4.1%Hart County: +3.2%Christian County: -2.4%Carlisle County: -0.6%Crittenden County: -0.2%Elliott County: -1.0%Garrard County: +6.3%Larue County: +1.7%Lee County: -0.7%Leslie County: -7.1%Hancock County: -1.0%Lewis County: -1.6%Lyon County: +4.6%McLean County: -0.1%Magoffin County: -4.2%Martin County: -4.9%Mason County: -1.1%Rockcastle County: +1.0%Menifee County: +3.2%Russell County: +2.6%Whitley County: +1.5%Todd County: +3.9%Union County: -3.5%Wolfe County: -2.9%Bell County: -3.9%Boyd County: -0.9%Butler County: +1.9%Metcalfe County: +2.7%Grant County: +2.8%Simpson County: +3.7%Pike County: -5.2%Gallatin County: +1.5%Harlan County: -6.4%Fayette County: +2.1%Logan County: +3.5%Muhlenberg County: -1.2%Bath County: +1.8%Mercer County: +3.8%Barren County: +2.5%Franklin County: +1.6%Bullitt County: +4.2%Boone County: +5.6%Campbell County: +0.9%Jefferson County: +1.4%Wayne County: +0.4%Ballard County: -1.1%Anderson County: +4.1%Pulaski County: +2.7%Knox County: -1.7%Laurel County: +1.0%Breckinridge County: +3.8%Oldham County: +4.2%Letcher County: -6.2%Lawrence County: -3.1%McCracken County: -0.6%Nicholas County: +3.7%Owsley County: -2.6%Powell County: -1.3%Bourbon County: +0.2%Calloway County: +3.7%Henderson County: -1.1%Clinton County: -0.5%Warren County: +9.6%Montgomery County: +2.4%Floyd County: -3.5%Woodford County: +3.1%Hopkins County: -0.3%Johnson County: -2.4%Marshall County: +0.1%Estill County: -1.1%Cumberland County: +3.2%Fleming County: +3.3%Madison County: +7.1%Carter County: -1.9%Allen County: +7.1%Daviess County: +1.0%Harrison County: +4.3%Perry County: -5.7%Fulton County: -3.5%Clay County: -3.5%Robertson County: +9.1%Trimble County: +1.5%Taylor County: +3.1%Shelby County: +3.9%McCreary County: -0.2%Breathitt County: -6.5%Livingston County: -0.6%Hickman County: -3.0%Rowan County: -0.2%Casey County: +0.2%Monroe County: -1.4%Marion County: +1.3%Grayson County: +2.3%Caldwell County: -0.2%Pendleton County: +1.3%
Change 2020 to 2024
  1. < -1.6%
  2. < +0.2%
  3. < +1.9%
  4. < +3.7%
  5. ≥ +3.7%
no data

Orange pin: McCreary County internal point. Dark pin: Frankfort.

Internal point

Decimal
36.731100, -84.491100
DMS
36°43'51.96"N 84°29'27.96"W
UTM
16N 724036.2E 4067977.7N
Geohash
dnebvqeqn
Plus code
868QPGJ5+CH

Towns in McCreary County

No incorporated place of 1,000 or more people has residents in McCreary County. Its 16,824 residents live in smaller towns, census-designated places, or unincorporated land, which the subcounty estimates do not list at this size.

Counties bordering McCreary County

The Census 2024 county adjacency file lists 6 neighbors for McCreary County, including 2 across a state line. The most populous is Pulaski County, KY, with 66,842 residents. Distances run between Census internal points in a straight line.

Distance to Frankfort and the nearest big city

Frankfort is 102.8 miles NNW of McCreary County's internal point in a straight line. The nearest place of 100,000 or more is Knoxville, TN (population 198,722), 60.6 miles away. The nearest place of 10,000 or more is Somerset, KY (population 12,389), 25.4 miles away.

McCreary County FIPS code

The FIPS code of McCreary County is 21147: state code 21 for Kentucky plus county code 147. Use it as text, with the leading zero, when joining Census, BLS, or CDC county tables. SAIPE lists its 2023 median household income as $36,348.

Questions people ask

What is the population of McCreary County, Kentucky?

The Census Vintage 2024 estimate for July 1, 2024 is 16,824. That is down 28 people (0.2%) from the July 2020 estimate of 16,852.

What is the FIPS code of McCreary County?

21147. The first two digits (21) are Kentucky; the last three (147) identify the county.

What is the largest town in McCreary County?

No incorporated place of 1,000 or more people has residents in McCreary County. Its people live in smaller towns, census-designated places or unincorporated land.

Which counties border McCreary County?

6 county-equivalents border it in the Census 2024 adjacency file: Pulaski County, KY; Laurel County, KY; Campbell County, TN; Whitley County, KY; Scott County, TN; Wayne County, KY.

Sources and data as of

Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.

  1. 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
  2. 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
  3. 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
  4. 04Census Vintage 2024 subcounty population estimates
  5. 05Census 2024 county adjacency file
  6. 06Census 2024 cartographic boundary file, counties (1:5,000,000)

How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.