1st Advantage MortgageMorgan County households have a median income of $47,913 and median rent of $663 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
- Getting oriented in Morgan County
- Renting and owning in Morgan County
- Paychecks and income spread in Morgan County
- How Morgan County residents earn a living
- Places inside Morgan County
- Morgan County next to its neighbors
- Budget math at the Morgan County median
- Local borrowing considerations for Morgan County
- Morgan County households compared
- Who licenses lenders for Morgan County residents
- A Morgan County borrower's checklist
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Morgan County
Morgan County is home to about 14,053 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 77th most populous of 120 county-level areas in Kentucky. It covers 381 square miles of land, or about 37 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. West Liberty is the biggest of its 2 Census places, at roughly 3,295 people (23% of the county total).
Renting and owning in Morgan County
Renters in Morgan County pay a median of $663 a month, 31% below the Kentucky figure of $967. By the Census definition, 34% of Morgan County renters are cost-burdened. With a median value of $118,200, a typical Morgan County house costs 2.5 times what the median household earns in a year. 79% of Morgan County households own their home and 21% rent.
| Cost | Morgan County | Kentucky figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $663/mo | $967/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $118,200 | $205,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 34% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 23% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 14% | 10% | n/a |
Because most Morgan 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.
Paychecks and income spread in Morgan County
Morgan County households have a median income of $47,913 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 86th of 120 in Kentucky.
| Households earning | Morgan County | +/- vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 36.2% | +8.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 44.2% | +2.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 17.4% | -5.5 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.2% | -5.0 pts |
The spread is wide: 20% of Morgan County households make $100,000 or more, and 36% make less than $35,000. The poverty rate is 17.1%, 1 point higher than the state's 16.1%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.494 here. None of these numbers decides a Morgan County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
How Morgan County residents earn a living
The biggest employer of Morgan County residents, by industry, is education and health care at 26% of workers, followed by manufacturing (14%). Public administration stands out: 14% of workers here, versus 4% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 3.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 23% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 5.6% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Where residents work | Morgan County | Difference from Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.9% | +1.6 pts |
| Manufacturing | 14.5% | +0.2 pts |
| Public administration | 14.4% | +10.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.0% | -0.6 pts |
| Construction | 10.6% | +4.3 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 5.4% | -1.6 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Places inside Morgan County
2 Census places fall mainly inside Morgan County; the 2 biggest are below. They account for 3,608 residents, leaving about 74% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. None of the 2 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Liberty | city | 3,295 | $48,235 | $600 | 1 mi |
| Ezel | CDP | 313 | $41,000 | n/a | 10 mi |
Morgan County next to its neighbors
Elliott County is closest, 16 miles from center to center; the sixth, Johnson County, is 24 miles off. Rowan County leads the group on income ($54,321), Wolfe County trails ($30,417), and Morgan County out-earns 5 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgan County | - | $47,913 | $663/mo | 79% |
| Elliott County, KY | 16 mi | $45,776 | $432/mo | 82% |
| Wolfe County, KY | 18 mi | $30,417 | $501/mo | 74% |
| Menifee County, KY | 18 mi | $45,096 | $675/mo | 75% |
| Magoffin County, KY | 19 mi | $33,080 | $730/mo | 75% |
| Rowan County, KY | 22 mi | $54,321 | $825/mo | 62% |
| Johnson County, KY | 24 mi | $44,904 | $708/mo | 68% |
Budget math at the Morgan County median
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Morgan County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- $3,993 a month: gross income for a household at the Morgan County median
- Median rent: $663, or 17 cents of every gross dollar
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $1,054 left for all other debt payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
Local borrowing considerations for Morgan County
What the Morgan County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Vehicle repairs. 23% of Morgan County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Mobile home upkeep. 35% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
Morgan County households compared
Degree holders: 19% of adults over 25. About 8% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | Morgan County | All of Kentucky | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.9 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 18.7% | 27.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 19.1% | 11.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.0% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.6% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 6.4% | 10.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 16.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.1% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 34.2% |
| 15 to 29 min | 27.0% |
| 30 to 44 min | 15.9% |
| 45 to 59 min | 10.2% |
| 60+ min | 12.7% |
Who licenses lenders for Morgan County residents
Morgan County borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. Federal complaints: consumerfinance.gov. More on Kentucky: Kentucky personal loans.
A Morgan County borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Morgan County.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Ask a Morgan County credit union about member loans.
Related local guides
The Kentucky guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Morgan County earn?
The median is $47,913; 20% earn $100,000 or more and 36% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Morgan County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $663 a month; 34% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Morgan County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 79% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Which towns does the Morgan County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 2 Census places: West Liberty, Ezel.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Morgan County or elsewhere in Kentucky, the same rules apply.