Cumberland County, KY: borrowing basics and county figures

Population and place: Cumberland County

Cumberland County is home to about 5,948 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 116th most populous of 120 county-level areas in Kentucky. Its 305 square miles average 19 people per square mile, by the 2024 Census Gazetteer. No metropolitan area includes Cumberland County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. Largest place: Burkesville, about 1,454 residents (24% of Cumberland County); 2 Census places in all. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Cumberland County figure on this page as a rough guide.

Where Cumberland County households live

Renters in Cumberland County pay a median of $523 a month, 46% below the Kentucky figure of $967. About 4 in 10 Cumberland County renters pay 30% or more of income for rent. With a median value of $141,100, a typical Cumberland County house costs 3.5 times what the median household earns in a year. 76% of Cumberland County households own their home and 24% rent. The median year built is 1986. Against the median U.S. county, Cumberland County rent is 40% below.

Cumberland County owners: get one secured and one unsecured quote, then compare the total cost and what you would put up as collateral (side by side).

Cumberland County industries and commutes

By the Census industry count, 34% of employed Cumberland County residents work in education and health care and 18% in manufacturing. Cumberland County over-indexes on education and health care: 34% versus 24% in Kentucky. Averaged over the five survey years, 4.0% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 10% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 3% work from home.

Seasonal work is common in many Cumberland County industries; if that is you, show a full year of income rather than one strong month.

Cumberland County against other Kentucky counties

• The uninsured rate: 12.5% in Cumberland County. Only 2 of 120 Kentucky counties are higher. Hospital payment plans are usually interest-free; compare before a loan.
• The share of workers who work from home: 2.6% in Cumberland County. Only 3 of 120 Kentucky counties are lower. Few remote jobs means most pay stubs come from local employers.
• Cumberland County ranks 5th lowest of 120 Kentucky counties for population: 5,948, against 4,534,824 statewide. With few local branches, online lenders and statewide credit unions widen the choice.
• Median gross rent: $523/mo in Cumberland County. Only 4 of 120 Kentucky counties are lower. Cheaper housing gives many renters more slack in a budget.

Cumberland County income bands

The median household income in Cumberland County is $40,000; statewide it is $63,726, so Cumberland County runs 37% below Kentucky as a whole. In the state ranking that is 108th of 120.

The spread is wide: 14% of Cumberland County households make $100,000 or more, and 43% make less than $35,000. Poverty rate, Cumberland County: 24.8%; Kentucky: 16.1%. For a borrower in Cumberland County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.

Cumberland County towns compared

Places, by size: the top 2 of 2. Roughly 74% of Cumberland County lives outside all of them, in open country or unnamed settlements. From Burkesville to the smallest crossroads, Cumberland County residents share this guide.

CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.

The counties around Cumberland County

Distances run center to center, from Clinton County at 14 miles out to Pickett County at 23. 5 of the six report a higher median household income than Cumberland County; Adair County is highest at $53,553 and Clay County lowest at $39,972. Some neighbors are in Tennessee. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Cumberland County resident follows Kentucky rules.

Who lives in Cumberland County, in numbers

Bachelor's degree or higher: 19% of Cumberland County adults. Uninsured, Cumberland County: 12.5%; Kentucky: 6.0%.

Local borrowing considerations for Cumberland County

Cumberland County-specific points to check:

• Medical bills. 12% of Cumberland County residents are uninsured. Before borrowing for care, ask the provider about financial assistance and payment plans.
• Mobile homes in Cumberland County. At 21% of units, they are a big part of local housing; check whether yours is titled as real or personal property.
• Older households. A 45.1 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
• Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 25% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).

What a median Cumberland County budget can carry

Cumberland County's $40,000 median income, run through a debt-to-income check:

• Monthly gross at the median, Cumberland County: $3,333
• Housing at the median rent of $523 uses 16%
• Under a 35% cap, $1,167 total minus rent leaves $644
• Under a 45% cap, $1,500 total minus rent leaves $977

Two-income households and single earners in Cumberland County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.

Checklist for Cumberland County applicants

Four checks before you sign anything:

• Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
• Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
• Only work with lenders licensed for Kentucky borrowers.
• Ask about early-payoff penalties.

Lender oversight for Cumberland County

Cumberland County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide.

Keep exploring

Statewide:

• Kentucky state guide