1st Advantage MortgageMedian rent in Adair County is $771 a month against a median household income of $53,553, about 17% of income (ACS 2020-24). A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Kentucky license first.
On this page
- 19,089 residents: Adair County basics
- What stands out in Adair County
- Where Adair County households live
- Labor force snapshot: Adair County
- What Adair County households earn
- Counties near Adair County
- The communities that make up Adair County
- Age, degrees and coverage in Adair County
- Debt-to-income, Adair County edition
- What the numbers mean for Adair County borrowers
- A Adair County borrower's checklist
- Verifying a lender from Adair County
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
19,089 residents: Adair County basics
Roughly 19,089 residents live in Adair County, Kentucky, 64th by population among the state's 120 counties and county equivalents. It covers 405 square miles of land, or about 47 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 1 place in the county (1 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Columbia, with about 4,808 residents, or 25% of the county.
What stands out in Adair County
Out of every Kentucky county, Adair County is most unusual on these measures.
- On the share of workers who work from home, Adair County sits near the top of Kentucky at 13.7%, 7th highest of 120. Remote workers should have W-2s or contracts ready to show income.
- Adair County ranks 20th highest of 120 Kentucky counties for the ACS unemployment rate: 6.8%, against 4.9% statewide. If work is uncertain, keep any loan small and the term short.
Where Adair County households live
$771 a month is the median gross rent in Adair County, 20% below the state. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 48% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $150,800, about 2.8 times the median household income. 77% of Adair County households own their home and 23% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1984.
| Housing | Adair County | Kentucky statewide | Adair County vs state |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owners | 77% | 68% | +8.9 pts |
| Mobile homes | 17.5% | 10.7% | +6.8 pts |
| Burdened owners | 27% | 23% | +3.9 pts |
| Median home value | $150,800 | $205,600 | 27% lower |
| Rent-burdened renters | 48% | 45% | +2.5 pts |
| Median gross rent | $771/mo | $967/mo | 20% lower |
Because most Adair County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Labor force snapshot: Adair County
The biggest employer of Adair County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 27% of workers, followed by manufacturing (15%). Education and health care stands out: 27% of workers here, versus 24% statewide. 6.8% of Adair County's labor force reported being unemployed, averaged across 2020 to 2024. Long commutes are the exception here: 13% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work.
| Where residents work | Adair County | Difference from Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.1% | +2.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.9% | +0.6 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.2% | +1.7 pts |
| Construction | 8.6% | +2.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.2% | -0.7 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.9% | -0.1 pts |
Seasonal work is common in many Adair County industries; if that is you, show a full year of income rather than one strong month.
What Adair County households earn
Adair County households have a median income of $53,553 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 70th of 120 in Kentucky.
| Households earning | Adair County | +/- vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 34.0% | +6.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.2% | +1.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.3% | -2.6 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.5% | -4.8 pts |
Six-figure households (23%) are outnumbered by those under $35,000 (34%) in Adair County. Adair County counts about 3,511 residents below the poverty line, 18.4% of the population. Gini index for Adair County: 0.472. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Adair County median.
Counties near Adair County
Distances run center to center, from Russell County at 15 miles out to Casey County at 25. Taylor County leads the group on income ($60,456), Cumberland County trails ($40,000), and Adair County out-earns 5 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adair County | - | $53,553 | $771/mo | 77% |
| Russell County, KY | 15 mi | $44,738 | $681/mo | 71% |
| Taylor County, KY | 18 mi | $60,456 | $718/mo | 69% |
| Green County, KY | 18 mi | $46,798 | $610/mo | 78% |
| Metcalfe County, KY | 21 mi | $51,473 | $582/mo | 78% |
| Cumberland County, KY | 23 mi | $40,000 | $523/mo | 76% |
| Casey County, KY | 25 mi | $45,510 | $670/mo | 80% |
The communities that make up Adair County
Columbia is the only Census place mainly inside Adair County, with about 4,808 of the county's 19,089 residents. None of the 1 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia | city | 4,808 | $47,299 | $757 | 1 mi |
Age, degrees and coverage in Adair County
Bachelor's degree or higher: 22% of Adair County adults. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Adair County | vs Kentucky | vs U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.7 | +0.6 yrs | -1.8 yrs |
| Bachelor's or higher | 21.8% | -5.8 pts | -0.4 pts |
| No high school diploma | 15.7% | +4.6 pts | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.5% | +1.5 pts | -0.4 pts |
| No vehicle | 6.1% | -0.7 pts | +0.7 pts |
| Work from home | 13.7% | +3.5 pts | +5.1 pts |
| Poverty rate | 18.4% | +2.3 pts | +5.2 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.8% | +1.9 pts | +2.4 pts |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 40.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 14.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 5.0% |
| 60+ min | 8.1% |
Debt-to-income, Adair County edition
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Adair County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Median income divided by twelve: $4,463 before taxes
- Less median rent of $771, which is 17% of it
- Under a 43% cap, $1,919 total minus rent leaves $1,148
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
What the numbers mean for Adair County borrowers
- Mobile home upkeep. 17% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Free help first. 18% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
- Rent squeeze. 48% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
A Adair County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Adair County:
- Price the Adair County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Only work with lenders licensed for Kentucky borrowers.
- Ask a Adair County credit union about member loans.
Verifying a lender from Adair County
The Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Kentucky license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. The Kentucky page has statewide figures to set beside Adair County's.
Related local guides
The Kentucky guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Adair County household make?
About $53,553 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 16% below the Kentucky median.
How does Adair County rent compare with Kentucky?
$771 locally versus $967 for the state, 20% below.
Which towns does the Adair County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 1 Census places: Columbia.
Can Adair County residents use the questionnaire?
Yes. It asks the same questions in every Kentucky county, lists every requirement up front and does not affect your credit score.
Who regulates personal lenders for Adair County residents?
The Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Kentucky; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.