1st Advantage MortgageCarlisle County households have a median income of $62,439 and median rent of $792 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Carlisle County, KY: the basics
- Household income in Carlisle County
- Work, industries and travel time in Carlisle County
- Housing costs in Carlisle County
- Neighboring counties at a glance
- The communities that make up Carlisle County
- Room for a loan payment in Carlisle County
- Carlisle County households compared
- Before borrowing in Carlisle County
- Four steps for Carlisle County borrowers
- Lender oversight for Carlisle County
- More guides for Carlisle County
- Frequently asked questions
Carlisle County, KY: the basics
Roughly 4,762 residents live in Carlisle County, Kentucky, 117th by population among the state's 120 counties and county equivalents. Land area is 189 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 25 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Paducah, KY-IL metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Bardwell is the biggest of its 3 Census places, at roughly 737 people (15% of the county total). With so few households sampled, Carlisle County estimates can move a lot between releases.
Household income in Carlisle County
The median household income in Carlisle County is $62,439; statewide it is $63,726, so Carlisle County runs 2% below Kentucky as a whole. Only 37 Kentucky counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Carlisle County | Gap to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.7% | +2.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.6% | -4.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 25.5% | +2.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 6.2% | -1.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 32% of Carlisle County households make $100,000 or more, and 31% make less than $35,000. Census counts 15.1% of Carlisle County residents in poverty, against 16.1% across Kentucky. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.450 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Work, industries and travel time in Carlisle County
The biggest employer of Carlisle County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by manufacturing (19%). Manufacturing stands out: 19% of workers here, versus 14% statewide. The survey's unemployment rate for Carlisle County averages 3.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.9%). 14% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 4% work from home. Households without a car make up 2.8% of the total (6.8% statewide).
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Carlisle County | Gap to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.8% | +0.5 pts |
| Manufacturing | 19.1% | +4.8 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.5% | +1.9 pts |
| Construction | 8.5% | +2.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 5.9% | -3.1 pts |
| Other services | 5.6% | +1.0 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Housing costs in Carlisle County
Renters in Carlisle County pay a median of $792 a month, 18% below the Kentucky figure of $967. By the Census definition, 39% of Carlisle County renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $120,400, or 1.9 years of median income. Owners occupy 80% of homes.
| Carlisle County | Kentucky | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $792/mo | $967/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $120,400 | $205,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 80% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 39% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 19.1% | 10.7% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare).
Neighboring counties at a glance
Hickman County is closest, 13 miles from center to center; the sixth, Fulton County, is 24 miles off. Ballard County leads the group on income ($66,164), Fulton County trails ($38,217), and Carlisle County out-earns 4 of the six. The list crosses into Missouri, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlisle County | - | $62,439 | $792/mo | 80% |
| Hickman County, KY | 13 mi | $60,867 | $718/mo | 71% |
| Ballard County, KY | 14 mi | $66,164 | $817/mo | 76% |
| Mississippi County, MO | 18 mi | $48,160 | $762/mo | 63% |
| McCracken County, KY | 20 mi | $64,373 | $898/mo | 69% |
| Graves County, KY | 20 mi | $50,772 | $775/mo | 76% |
| Fulton County, KY | 24 mi | $38,217 | $570/mo | 62% |
The communities that make up Carlisle County
3 Census places fall mainly inside Carlisle County; the 3 biggest are below. They account for 1,187 residents, leaving about 75% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. None of the 3 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bardwell | city | 737 | $47,784 | $683 | 2 mi |
| Cunningham | CDP | 265 | $29,500 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Arlington | city | 185 | n/a | n/a | 5 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Carlisle County
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Carlisle County's medians:
- $5,203 a month: gross income for a household at the Carlisle County median
- 15% goes to median rent ($792)
- With a 36% ceiling, about $1,081 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Carlisle County's.
Carlisle County households compared
College graduates make up 15% of the adult population. About 6% go without health insurance.
| Measure | Carlisle County | Kentucky statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.8 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 14.9% | 27.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.2% | 11.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.1% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 2.8% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 10.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 16.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.7% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Carlisle County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 32.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 28.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.0% |
| 60+ min | 6.4% |
Before borrowing in Carlisle County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Carlisle County borrowers.
- Mobile home upkeep. 19% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Consolidating cards in Carlisle County. Compare the total repaid, not the monthly figure (how).
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Carlisle County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Four steps for Carlisle County borrowers
Steps that save money for Carlisle County residents:
- Price the Carlisle County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Verify the Kentucky license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Lender oversight for Carlisle County
Consumer lenders serving Carlisle County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Kentucky that is the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. See the Kentucky state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Carlisle County
The Kentucky guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Carlisle County a high-income county?
Its $62,439 median ranks 38th of 120 Kentucky counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Carlisle County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $792 a month; 39% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Does this page cover Bardwell?
Yes, along with the other 2 Census places in Carlisle County, such as Cunningham, Arlington.
Does living in Carlisle County change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a Carlisle County resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.
Where can someone in Carlisle County check a lender's license?
With the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.