1st Advantage MortgageThe median Hardin County household earns $67,647, and 13% of residents live below the poverty line. 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
- Who lives in Hardin County
- Income in Hardin County compared with Kentucky
- Employment and commuting in Hardin County
- Housing costs in Hardin County
- Places inside Hardin County
- Hardin County and the counties next door
- Budget math at the Hardin County median
- Local borrowing considerations for Hardin County
- More Hardin County figures
- A Hardin County borrower's checklist
- Lender oversight for Hardin County
- More guides for Hardin County
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Hardin County
Hardin County is home to about 111,942 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 6th most populous of 120 county-level areas in Kentucky. It covers 624 square miles of land, or about 179 people per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Elizabethtown, KY metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Of the 8 Census places inside Hardin County, Elizabethtown leads by population with about 32,576; 5 of the 8 are incorporated.
Income in Hardin County compared with Kentucky
The median household income in Hardin County is $67,647; statewide it is $63,726, so Hardin County runs 6% above Kentucky as a whole. Only 17 Kentucky counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Hardin County | Gap to Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 22.6% | -5.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.9% | +4.0 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.3% | +1.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 7.2% | 0.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 32% of Hardin County households make $100,000 or more, and 23% make less than $35,000. Census counts 13.1% of Hardin County residents in poverty, against 16.1% across Kentucky. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Hardin County median.
Employment and commuting in Hardin County
By the Census industry count, 21% of employed Hardin County residents work in education and health care and 15% in manufacturing. Compared with Kentucky, the county leans toward public administration (8% against 4%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 6.6% in Hardin County. 13% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 9% work from home.
| Top industries | Hardin County share | +/- vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.1% | -3.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 15.3% | +1.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.6% | +2.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.5% | +0.5 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.1% | +0.2 pts |
| Public administration | 7.7% | +3.4 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 Hardin County
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $971 in Hardin County versus $967 statewide. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 37% of renter households here. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $225,800, about 3.3 times the median household income. Owners occupy 63% of homes. Half the housing stock was built before 1988.
| Cost | Hardin County | Kentucky figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $971/mo | $967/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $225,800 | $205,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 63% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 37% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 8.3% | 10.7% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 7% | 10% | n/a |
Places inside Hardin County
Here are the 8 most populous of the county's 8 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 68% of Hardin County residents live in one of the 8. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $37,449 in West Point to $84,511 in Rineyville. Median rent ranges from $544 in Sonora to $1,502 in Fort Knox. This guide covers each of the 8 places and the rural areas around them.
| Community | Type | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elizabethtown | city | 32,576 | $60,760 | $909 | 5 mi |
| Radcliff | city | 22,864 | $58,559 | $971 | 9 mi |
| Fort Knox | CDP | 8,836 | $82,663 | $1,502 | 14 mi |
| Vine Grove | city | 6,830 | $72,560 | $1,334 | 8 mi |
| Rineyville | CDP | 2,470 | $84,511 | $946 | 3 mi |
| West Point | city | 1,025 | $37,449 | $788 | 20 mi |
| Sonora | city | 653 | $51,250 | $544 | 12 mi |
| Cecilia | CDP | 503 | $71,544 | n/a | 2 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Hardin County and the counties next door
Larue County is closest, 18 miles from center to center; the sixth, Hart County, is 27 miles off. Income ranges from $50,757 in Grayson County to $80,558 in Bullitt County; 2 of these neighbors top Hardin County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hardin County | - | $67,647 | $971/mo | 63% |
| Larue County, KY | 18 mi | $67,067 | $860/mo | 79% |
| Meade County, KY | 23 mi | $74,355 | $1,026/mo | 74% |
| Bullitt County, KY | 24 mi | $80,558 | $987/mo | 85% |
| Breckinridge County, KY | 26 mi | $55,843 | $733/mo | 81% |
| Grayson County, KY | 27 mi | $50,757 | $658/mo | 75% |
| Hart County, KY | 27 mi | $52,285 | $693/mo | 72% |
Budget math at the Hardin County median
Here is the Hardin County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Start: $5,637 gross per month ($67,647 / 12)
- Median rent: $971, or 17 cents of every gross dollar
- With a 40% ceiling, about $1,284 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Two-income households and single earners in Hardin County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Local borrowing considerations for Hardin County
Based on the Hardin County data above, these borrowing questions are most likely to matter locally.
- Advance-fee offers. No legitimate lender asks a Hardin County borrower to pay first (scam signs).
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Credit reports. Pull free reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and dispute errors before applying.
More Hardin County figures
College graduates make up 25% of the adult population. About 6% go without health insurance.
| Hardin County | Kentucky | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 24.8% | 27.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 7.6% | 11.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 5.8% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.2% | 10.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 13.1% | 16.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 6.6% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 35.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 35.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 7.1% |
| 60+ min | 6.0% |
A Hardin County borrower's checklist
Before you apply, wherever you live in Hardin County:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one Hardin County-area credit union.
- A Kentucky license check takes minutes; do it first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Lender oversight for Hardin County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Hardin County borrowers answers to the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Kentucky state guide for the statewide picture.
More guides for Hardin County
The Kentucky guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical Hardin County household make?
About $67,647 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 6% above the Kentucky median.
How much is rent in Hardin County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $971 a month; 37% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I live in a small Hardin County town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Elizabethtown, Radcliff, Fort Knox, Vine Grove, Rineyville and 3 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Hardin County or elsewhere in Kentucky, the same rules apply.
Who regulates personal lenders for Hardin 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.