1st Advantage MortgageMedian rent in Carter County is $740 a month against a median household income of $51,235, about 17% of income (ACS 2020-24). Whatever your own numbers, compare written offers on APR, fees and total cost, and verify the lender is licensed in Kentucky before sharing details.
On this page
- Carter County by the numbers
- Where Carter County households live
- The Carter County job picture
- Carter County against other Kentucky counties
- Earnings across Carter County households
- Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
- Carter County towns compared
- Carter County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Local borrowing considerations for Carter County
- Debt-to-income, Carter County edition
- A Carter County borrower's checklist
- Kentucky rules that apply in Carter County
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Carter County by the numbers
Roughly 26,341 residents live in Carter County, Kentucky, 43rd by population among the state's 120 counties and county equivalents. Carter County spans 409 square miles; with 26,341 people, that is 64.3 per square mile. Metro area: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH (OMB, 2023). The Census Bureau counts 2 places in the county (2 incorporated, 0 census-designated); the largest is Grayson, with about 3,778 residents, or 14% of the county.
Where Carter County households live
$740 a month is the median gross rent in Carter County, 23% below the state. 49% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 26% spend half or more. With a median value of $132,800, a typical Carter County house costs 2.6 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 80% of homes.
| Home costs | Carter County | Kentucky | Compared with Kentucky |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $740/mo | $967/mo | 23% lower |
| Median home value | $132,800 | $205,600 | 35% lower |
| Owners | 80% | 68% | +11.7 pts |
| Rent-burdened renters | 49% | 45% | +3.3 pts |
| Burdened owners | 25% | 23% | +2.5 pts |
With 80% of Carter County homes owner-occupied, equity is a real alternative for many readers; just remember a missed HELOC payment puts the home at risk.
The Carter County job picture
The biggest employer of Carter County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 29% of workers, followed by manufacturing (11%). Compared with Kentucky, the county leans toward construction (11% against 6%). Unemployment in Carter County, ACS five-year: 5.3%; Kentucky: 4.9%. Commutes of 45 minutes-plus: 25%; under 15 minutes: 31%.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Carter County | Gap to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 29.2% | +4.9 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.4% | -2.9 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.3% | -0.3 pts |
| Construction | 11.3% | +4.9 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 7.5% | -0.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.2% | -0.8 pts |
Self-employed in Carter County? Two years of tax returns usually stand in for pay stubs.
Carter County against other Kentucky counties
Out of every Kentucky county, Carter County is most unusual on these measures.
- On the share of workers who work from home, Carter County sits near the bottom of Kentucky at 3.6%, 11th lowest of 120. Few remote jobs means most pay stubs come from local employers.
- On homeownership, Carter County sits near the top of Kentucky at 80%, 16th highest of 120. Most households here own, so home equity is often an alternative to weigh.
- Few Kentucky counties match Carter County on the share of commutes over 45 minutes: 25% here, 13% for the state, ranking 21st highest of 120. With long commutes, a reliable car is part of keeping the job.
Earnings across Carter County households
The median household income in Carter County is $51,235; statewide it is $63,726, so Carter County runs 20% below Kentucky as a whole. In the state ranking that is 80th of 120.
| Yearly household income | Carter County | Gap to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 36.5% | +8.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.6% | -2.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 20.9% | -2.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 3.0% | -4.2 pts |
On the low end, 36% of Carter County households report under $35,000; at the top, 24% report $100,000-plus. Poverty rate, Carter County: 19.2%; Kentucky: 16.1%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.456 here. None of these numbers decides a Carter County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Nearby counties: income, rent, ownership
Distances run center to center, from Elliott County at 14 miles out to Lewis County at 24. Boyd County leads the group on income ($61,118), Elliott County trails ($45,776), and Carter County out-earns 3 of the six.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carter County | - | $51,235 | $740/mo | 80% |
| Elliott County, KY | 14 mi | $45,776 | $432/mo | 82% |
| Greenup County, KY | 18 mi | $60,751 | $860/mo | 80% |
| Boyd County, KY | 20 mi | $61,118 | $849/mo | 70% |
| Rowan County, KY | 22 mi | $54,321 | $825/mo | 62% |
| Lawrence County, KY | 23 mi | $46,772 | $760/mo | 78% |
| Lewis County, KY | 24 mi | $46,838 | $751/mo | 79% |
Carter County towns compared
Places, by size: the top 2 of 2. Roughly 79% of Carter County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. Grayson and every other Carter County community use this county guide.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grayson | city | 3,778 | $27,542 | $745 | 6 mi |
| Olive Hill | city | 1,636 | $70,682 | $542 | 7 mi |
Carter County residents: age, schooling, coverage
In Carter County, 16% of adults have at least a four-year degree (28% in Kentucky). Health coverage gaps: 7.1% of Carter County residents are uninsured.
| Indicator | Carter County | +/- Kentucky | +/- U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.9% | -11.6 pts | -6.2 pts |
| Work from home | 3.6% | -6.6 pts | -5.1 pts |
| No high school diploma | 15.8% | +4.6 pts | n/a |
| Poverty rate | 19.2% | +3.1 pts | +6.0 pts |
| Median age | 41.4 | +2.3 yrs | -0.1 yrs |
| No vehicle | 8.3% | +1.5 pts | +2.8 pts |
| No health insurance | 7.1% | +1.1 pts | -0.7 pts |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.3% | +0.4 pts | +0.9 pts |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 31.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 26.3% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 16.9% |
| 60+ min | 8.4% |
Local borrowing considerations for Carter County
Carter County-specific points to check:
- Keeping the car running. At 25% with long commutes, repairs are a frequent Carter County emergency; first decide if the car is worth fixing.
- Mobile homes in Carter County. At 25% of units, they are a big part of local housing; check whether yours is titled as real or personal property.
- Free help first. 19% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
- 49% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Debt-to-income, Carter County edition
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Carter County's medians:
- $4,270 a month: gross income for a household at the Carter County median
- Housing at the median rent of $740 uses 17%
- At 40%, room after rent is $968 a month
These are gross figures; take-home pay in Carter County will be lower after taxes and deductions.
A Carter County borrower's checklist
Quick steps for Carter County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Carter County-area credit union.
- Verify the Kentucky license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Keep a small cushion so one surprise bill does not mean another loan.
Kentucky rules that apply in Carter County
Consumer lenders serving Carter County are licensed by the state, not the county; in Kentucky that is the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. See the Kentucky state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Kentucky guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Carter County?
$51,235 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $63,726 for Kentucky. It ranks 80th of 120 in the state.
What is the median rent in Carter County, KY?
$740 a month, utilities included, or $8,880 a year.
How many towns are in Carter County?
The Census Bureau counts 2 places mainly in the county, led by Grayson, Olive Hill.
Will a Carter County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Kentucky as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Carter 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.