Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

Counties with the most seniors in Kentucky

Seniors will comprise more than 20% of U.S. residents in 2030, up from 15% in 2020. By 2034, older adults will outnumber children, according to Census Bureau projections.

Across the U.S., 52 million Americans are 65 years or older, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, and a quarter of them live in just three states: California, Florida, and Texas. By comparison, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming, and Alaska each have fewer than 150,000 senior residents. The size of a state’s senior population means a lot in terms of demand for resources like health care, affordable housing, assisted living, in-home and nursing care, and support services, and the quality and availability of those resources help determine where seniors migrate.

With baby boomers moving into old age, fewer babies being born, and longer life expectancies, the senior population of America is on a spectacular rise. The lengthening of the U.S. life expectancy has been particularly dramatic, rising to nearly 79 years from 68 years in 1950.

Stacker compiled a list of counties with the most seniors in Kentucky using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Counties are ranked by the highest percentage of residents 65 years or older according to 2020 5-year estimates.

Keep reading to find out which counties have the most seniors in Kentucky.

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verygreen // Wikimedia Commons

#50. Rockcastle County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.0%
– Median age: 42.6 years old
— Median age of males: 41.7 years old
— Median age of females: 43.3 years old
– Total population: 16,795 people

C. Bedford Crenshaw // Wikimedia Commons

#49. Lewis County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.4%
– Median age: 42.8 years old
— Median age of males: 42.6 years old
— Median age of females: 43.1 years old
– Total population: 13,345 people

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#48. Lee County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.2%
– Median age: 44.2 years old
— Median age of males: 43.7 years old
— Median age of females: 45.8 years old
– Total population: 7,088 people

Paul Sableman // Wikimedia Commons

#47. Graves County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 24.0%
– Median age: 39.6 years old
— Median age of males: 38.9 years old
— Median age of females: 40.4 years old
– Total population: 37,125 people

Greg5030 // Wikimedia Commons

#46. Mason County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.6%
– Median age: 41 years old
— Median age of males: 40 years old
— Median age of females: 43.6 years old
– Total population: 17,122 people

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Jim.henderson // Wikimedia Commons

#45. Hopkins County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.9%
– Median age: 41.5 years old
— Median age of males: 39.8 years old
— Median age of females: 43.1 years old
– Total population: 45,044 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#44. Knott County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.0%
– Median age: 43.7 years old
— Median age of males: 42.4 years old
— Median age of females: 44.6 years old
– Total population: 15,041 people

Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#43. Washington County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.3%
– Median age: 41.6 years old
— Median age of males: 39 years old
— Median age of females: 43.4 years old
– Total population: 12,044 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Pike County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.6%
– Median age: 42.5 years old
— Median age of males: 41.1 years old
— Median age of females: 44.2 years old
– Total population: 58,595 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#41. Bell County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.1%
– Median age: 41.2 years old
— Median age of males: 38.8 years old
— Median age of females: 43.5 years old
– Total population: 26,426 people

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#40. Monroe County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.6%
– Median age: 41.4 years old
— Median age of males: 39.5 years old
— Median age of females: 44.3 years old
– Total population: 10,616 people

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Owen County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.3%
– Median age: 42.3 years old
— Median age of males: 41.3 years old
— Median age of females: 43 years old
– Total population: 10,847 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#38. Metcalfe County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.6%
– Median age: 43.6 years old
— Median age of males: 43 years old
— Median age of females: 44.2 years old
– Total population: 10,062 people

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#37. Adair County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.7%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.5%
– Median age: 40.4 years old
— Median age of males: 39.3 years old
— Median age of females: 42.2 years old
– Total population: 19,366 people

CoryClaxon // Wikimedia Commons

#36. Carter County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.7%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.1%
– Median age: 41.6 years old
— Median age of males: 39.3 years old
— Median age of females: 43.2 years old
– Total population: 26,976 people

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Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#35. Harrison County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.7%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.4%
– Median age: 42.7 years old
— Median age of males: 41.8 years old
— Median age of females: 43.9 years old
– Total population: 18,763 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#34. Pulaski County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.9%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.3%
– Median age: 41.9 years old
— Median age of males: 40.9 years old
— Median age of females: 43.1 years old
– Total population: 64,789 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#33. Mercer County

– Population aged 65 or older: 18.9%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.0%
– Median age: 43.2 years old
— Median age of males: 41.5 years old
— Median age of females: 45.4 years old
– Total population: 21,690 people

Christopher L. Riley // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Boyle County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.0%
– Median age: 40.1 years old
— Median age of males: 37.6 years old
— Median age of females: 42.9 years old
– Total population: 30,090 people

Bedford // Wikimedia Commons

#31. Logan County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.6%
– Median age: 41.1 years old
— Median age of males: 40.2 years old
— Median age of females: 41.7 years old
– Total population: 27,049 people

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#30. Letcher County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.6%
– Median age: 42.6 years old
— Median age of males: 41.1 years old
— Median age of females: 44.6 years old
– Total population: 21,936 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#29. Estill County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.8%
– Median age: 44.3 years old
— Median age of males: 43.5 years old
— Median age of females: 46 years old
– Total population: 14,187 people

W.marsh // Wikimedia Commons

#28. Bourbon County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.5%
– Median age: 41.8 years old
— Median age of males: 39.1 years old
— Median age of females: 43.1 years old
– Total population: 19,998 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#27. Wolfe County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.2%
– Median age: 41.4 years old
— Median age of males: 39.8 years old
— Median age of females: 43.7 years old
– Total population: 7,188 people

Megangen1990 // Wikimedia Commons

#26. Muhlenberg County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.5%
– Median age: 42.5 years old
— Median age of males: 41.3 years old
— Median age of females: 44 years old
– Total population: 30,815 people

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w:User:Malepheasant // Wikimedia Commons

#25. Boyd County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.4%
– Median age: 42.1 years old
— Median age of males: 40.2 years old
— Median age of females: 44.7 years old
– Total population: 47,361 people

Hunter Hawley // Wikimedia Commons

#24. Breckinridge County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.9%
– Median age: 42.4 years old
— Median age of males: 41.6 years old
— Median age of females: 43.9 years old
– Total population: 20,283 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#23. McLean County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 23.7%
– Median age: 43.7 years old
— Median age of males: 43.2 years old
— Median age of females: 44.3 years old
– Total population: 9,202 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#22. Clinton County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.7%
– Median age: 42.8 years old
— Median age of males: 41 years old
— Median age of females: 43.7 years old
– Total population: 10,175 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Elliott County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 18.0%
– Median age: 42.4 years old
— Median age of males: 39.3 years old
— Median age of females: 46.1 years old
– Total population: 7,461 people

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Smallbones // Wikimedia Commons

#20. McCracken County

– Population aged 65 or older: 19.9%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.2%
– Median age: 42.3 years old
— Median age of males: 40.5 years old
— Median age of females: 44 years old
– Total population: 65,485 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#19. Green County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
– Median age: 43.8 years old
— Median age of males: 41.7 years old
— Median age of females: 45 years old
– Total population: 11,000 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#18. Russell County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.2%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.7%
– Median age: 43.4 years old
— Median age of males: 41.8 years old
— Median age of females: 44.9 years old
– Total population: 17,846 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Casey County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.8%
– Median age: 42.6 years old
— Median age of males: 40.8 years old
— Median age of females: 43.8 years old
– Total population: 15,968 people

Huw Williams (Huwmanbeing) // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Edmonson County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 18.8%
– Median age: 44 years old
— Median age of males: 42.7 years old
— Median age of females: 45.1 years old
– Total population: 12,195 people

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Calvin Beale // Wikimedia Commons

#15. Fulton County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.2%
– Median age: 42.7 years old
— Median age of males: 37 years old
— Median age of females: 47.3 years old
– Total population: 6,064 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#14. Crittenden County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.6%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.4%
– Median age: 43.5 years old
— Median age of males: 41.2 years old
— Median age of females: 45.9 years old
– Total population: 8,940 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#13. Carlisle County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.9%
– Median age: 42.3 years old
— Median age of males: 40.6 years old
— Median age of females: 43.5 years old
– Total population: 4,738 people

Turover // Wikimedia Commons

#12. Greenup County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.5%
– Median age: 43.5 years old
— Median age of males: 41.5 years old
— Median age of females: 45.9 years old
– Total population: 35,359 people

JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#11. Wayne County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.9%
– Median age: 44 years old
— Median age of males: 41 years old
— Median age of females: 45.3 years old
– Total population: 20,447 people

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JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD // Wikimedia Commons

#10. Owsley County

– Population aged 65 or older: 20.9%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.1%
– Median age: 47.2 years old
— Median age of males: 43.1 years old
— Median age of females: 48.1 years old
– Total population: 4,416 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#9. Menifee County

– Population aged 65 or older: 21.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.1%
– Median age: 44 years old
— Median age of males: 40 years old
— Median age of females: 48.7 years old
– Total population: 6,463 people

C. Bedford Crenshaw // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Caldwell County

– Population aged 65 or older: 21.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.4%
– Median age: 42.9 years old
— Median age of males: 40.4 years old
— Median age of females: 45.8 years old
– Total population: 12,679 people

Jonathunder // Wikimedia Commons

#7. Ballard County

– Population aged 65 or older: 21.4%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.0%
– Median age: 44 years old
— Median age of males: 41.3 years old
— Median age of females: 46.9 years old
– Total population: 7,914 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#6. Livingston County

– Population aged 65 or older: 21.5%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.7%
– Median age: 46 years old
— Median age of males: 44.1 years old
— Median age of females: 47.4 years old
– Total population: 9,172 people

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Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#5. Cumberland County

– Population aged 65 or older: 21.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 21.6%
– Median age: 46.1 years old
— Median age of males: 45.9 years old
— Median age of females: 46.1 years old
– Total population: 6,660 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#4. Marshall County

– Population aged 65 or older: 21.9%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 20.3%
– Median age: 45 years old
— Median age of males: 44 years old
— Median age of females: 46.2 years old
– Total population: 31,225 people

Dcoetzee // Wikimedia Commons

#3. Trigg County

– Population aged 65 or older: 22.8%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 22.1%
– Median age: 45.8 years old
— Median age of males: 44.6 years old
— Median age of females: 47.4 years old
– Total population: 14,569 people

Brian Stansberry // Wikimedia Commons

#2. Hickman County

– Population aged 65 or older: 24.1%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 19.8%
– Median age: 46.4 years old
— Median age of males: 43.1 years old
— Median age of females: 49.8 years old
– Total population: 4,461 people

Nyttend // Wikimedia Commons

#1. Lyon County

– Population aged 65 or older: 27.3%
– Population aged 18 and younger: 13.7%
– Median age: 50.3 years old
— Median age of males: 47.2 years old
— Median age of females: 55.5 years old
– Total population: 8,226 people

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