1st Advantage MortgageIn Floyd County, Kentucky, the typical household earns $41,279 a year and the typical rent is $672. 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
- Getting oriented in Floyd County
- Income in Floyd County compared with Kentucky
- How Floyd County residents earn a living
- Floyd County housing compared with Kentucky
- The counties around Floyd County
- Towns and communities in Floyd County
- Debt-to-income at Floyd County's medians
- Before borrowing in Floyd County
- Floyd County residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Kentucky rules that apply in Floyd County
- Checklist for Floyd County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Floyd County
Floyd County is home to about 35,224 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 31st most populous of 120 county-level areas in Kentucky. Land area is 393 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 90 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Floyd County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 10 places in the county (5 incorporated, 5 census-designated); the largest is Prestonsburg, with about 3,765 residents, or 11% of the county.
Income in Floyd County compared with Kentucky
Floyd County households have a median income of $41,279 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 105th of 120 in Kentucky.
| Households earning | Floyd County | +/- vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 43.5% | +15.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 37.5% | -4.4 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 16.8% | -6.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.3% | -4.9 pts |
About 43% of households earn under $35,000, while 19% clear $100,000. Census counts 28.0% of Floyd County residents in poverty, against 16.1% across Kentucky. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.489 here. Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
How Floyd County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Floyd County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 34% of workers, followed by retail trade (12%). The sharpest difference from the state is in education and health care, at 34% locally and 24% for Kentucky. The survey's unemployment rate for Floyd County averages 7.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.9%). Long commutes are common here: 17% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 10.5% of the total (6.8% statewide).
| Industry | Share of Floyd County workers | vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 33.6% | +9.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.3% | +0.8 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.5% | +0.6 pts |
| Public administration | 7.4% | +3.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 6.9% | -7.4 pts |
| Agriculture, forestry and mining | 5.5% | +3.7 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Floyd County housing compared with Kentucky
Renters in Floyd County pay a median of $672 a month, 31% below the Kentucky figure of $967. By the Census definition, 44% of Floyd County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $98,700, a typical Floyd County house costs 2.4 times what the median household earns in a year. Owners occupy 72% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1982.
| Measure | Floyd County | Kentucky | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $672/mo | $967/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $98,700 | $205,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 72% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 44% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 31.7% | 10.7% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 16% | 10% | n/a |
Because most Floyd 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.
The counties around Floyd County
Knott County is closest, 18 miles from center to center; the sixth, Letcher County, is 31 miles off. Income ranges from $33,080 in Magoffin County to $44,904 in Johnson County; 4 of these neighbors top Floyd County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd County | - | $41,279 | $672/mo | 72% |
| Knott County, KY | 18 mi | $41,761 | $756/mo | 73% |
| Pike County, KY | 19 mi | $44,312 | $858/mo | 75% |
| Magoffin County, KY | 21 mi | $33,080 | $730/mo | 75% |
| Johnson County, KY | 21 mi | $44,904 | $708/mo | 68% |
| Martin County, KY | 21 mi | $37,042 | $450/mo | 85% |
| Letcher County, KY | 31 mi | $41,793 | $669/mo | 74% |
Towns and communities in Floyd County
10 Census places fall mainly inside Floyd County; the 10 biggest are below. They account for 7,803 residents, leaving about 78% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $116,991 at the median in Auxier, $14,474 in McDowell. Median rent ranges from $255 in McDowell to $1,100 in Betsy Layne. No Floyd County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 10.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prestonsburg | city | 3,765 | $25,746 | $592 | 9 mi |
| Wheelwright | city | 964 | n/a | $593 | 15 mi |
| McDowell | CDP | 718 | $14,474 | $255 | 6 mi |
| Auxier | CDP | 651 | $116,991 | n/a | 13 mi |
| Betsy Layne | CDP | 557 | $31,838 | $1,100 | 6 mi |
| Martin | city | 494 | $30,682 | $358 | 2 mi |
| Wayland | city | 316 | $28,333 | $633 | 8 mi |
| Dwale | CDP | 170 | n/a | n/a | 5 mi |
| Allen | city | 157 | $36,250 | $941 | 4 mi |
| Maytown | CDP | 11 | n/a | n/a | 4 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
Debt-to-income at Floyd County's medians
Floyd County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $41,279 a year is $3,440 of gross monthly income
- Housing at the median rent of $672 uses 20%
- Under a 40% cap, $1,376 total minus rent leaves $704
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Before borrowing in Floyd County
Where the Floyd County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Manufactured homes. 32% of Floyd County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- 28% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Floyd County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
Floyd County residents: age, schooling, coverage
15% of Floyd County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 5.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Residents | Floyd County | Kentucky | Middle U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 42.8 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.3% | 27.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 18.5% | 11.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.2% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 10.5% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 3.2% | 10.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 28.0% | 16.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 7.7% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 26.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 39.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.1% |
| 60+ min | 10.0% |
Kentucky rules that apply in Floyd County
The Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Kentucky license. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. More on Kentucky: Kentucky personal loans.
Checklist for Floyd County applicants
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Kentucky guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Floyd County?
$41,279 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $63,726 for Kentucky. It ranks 105th of 120 in the state.
What do renters pay in Floyd County?
$672 a month at the median, about 20% of median household income.
I live in a small Floyd County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Prestonsburg, Wheelwright, McDowell, Auxier, Betsy Layne and 5 more.
Is the fit check different in Floyd County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Floyd County?
Start with the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.