1st Advantage MortgageIn Whitley County, Kentucky, the typical household earns $44,615 a year and the typical rent is $798. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Who lives in Whitley County
- Paychecks and income spread in Whitley County
- The Whitley County job picture
- What it costs to live in Whitley County
- Places inside Whitley County
- Counties near Whitley County
- People and households in Whitley County
- Borrowing situations common in Whitley County
- Room for a loan payment in Whitley County
- Lender oversight for Whitley County
- Checklist for Whitley County applicants
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Whitley County
Whitley County is home to about 36,920 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 28th most populous of 120 county-level areas in Kentucky. It covers 438 square miles of land, or about 84 people per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 5 places in the county (2 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Corbin, with about 8,246 residents, or 22% of the county.
Paychecks and income spread in Whitley County
The median household income in Whitley County is $44,615; statewide it is $63,726, so Whitley County runs 30% below Kentucky as a whole. In the state ranking that is 99th of 120.
| Households earning | Whitley County | +/- vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 39.6% | +11.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.1% | -0.8 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 17.1% | -5.8 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.2% | -5.0 pts |
About 40% of households earn under $35,000, while 19% clear $100,000. Census counts 26.3% of Whitley County residents in poverty, against 16.1% across Kentucky. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.480 here. For a borrower in Whitley 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.
The Whitley County job picture
By the Census industry count, 29% of employed Whitley County residents work in education and health care and 12% in arts, lodging and food service. Compared with Kentucky, the county leans toward education and health care (29% against 24%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 5.4% in Whitley County. Long commutes are the exception here: 12% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 8.4% of the total (6.8% statewide).
| Top industries | Whitley County share | +/- vs Kentucky |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 28.9% | +4.7 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 12.1% | +4.2 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.7% | +0.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.6% | -2.7 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.5% | -1.5 pts |
| Construction | 6.4% | +0.1 pts |
Shorter commutes usually mean lower vehicle costs, which can leave more room for a payment, or for paying a loan off early.
What it costs to live in Whitley County
A typical Whitley County rental runs $798 a month including utilities, which is 17% below Kentucky. By the Census definition, 46% of Whitley County renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $131,800, about 3.0 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 67%. The median year built is 1987.
| Cost | Whitley County | Kentucky figure | Median county, U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $798/mo | $967/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $131,800 | $205,600 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 67% | 68% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 46% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 21% | 23% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 24.1% | 10.7% | n/a |
Places inside Whitley County
The table lists the 5 largest of 5 Census places in Whitley County, by population. Together all 5 hold about 14,375 people, so roughly 61% of residents live outside any named place. No Whitley County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 5.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corbin | city | 8,246 | $51,065 | $733 | 12 mi |
| Williamsburg | city | 5,270 | $38,147 | $793 | 2 mi |
| Emlyn | CDP | 488 | $54,423 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Pleasant View | CDP | 241 | $46,020 | $1,097 | 6 mi |
| Rockholds | CDP | 130 | $31,025 | n/a | 5 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Counties near Whitley County
Knox County is closest, 18 miles from center to center; the sixth, Scott County, is 30 miles off. Laurel County leads the group on income ($57,771), Bell County trails ($31,354), and Whitley County out-earns 3 of the six. Some neighbors are in Tennessee. Lender licensing is state by state, so a loan for a Whitley County resident follows Kentucky rules.
| Neighbor | Distance | Income | Rent | Own |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitley County | - | $44,615 | $798/mo | 67% |
| Knox County, KY | 18 mi | $32,527 | $681/mo | 65% |
| McCreary County, KY | 19 mi | $33,750 | $577/mo | 74% |
| Laurel County, KY | 25 mi | $57,771 | $813/mo | 72% |
| Campbell County, TN | 25 mi | $51,557 | $716/mo | 69% |
| Bell County, KY | 26 mi | $31,354 | $592/mo | 59% |
| Scott County, TN | 30 mi | $44,711 | $686/mo | 72% |
People and households in Whitley County
Degree holders: 21% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 6.2%, against 6.0% for Kentucky.
| Whitley County | Kentucky | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 35.2 | 39.1 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 20.9% | 27.6% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 15.7% | 11.1% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.2% | 6.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.4% | 6.8% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 10.2% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% | 16.1% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.4% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Whitley County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 34.5% |
| 15 to 29 min | 34.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 18.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.5% |
| 60+ min | 8.8% |
Borrowing situations common in Whitley County
A few patterns in the Whitley County data, and the practical point behind each:
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 24% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Lower-cost alternatives. In a county with 26% in poverty, nonprofit credit counseling may beat a loan (options).
- 46% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Room for a loan payment in Whitley County
Here is the Whitley County median household run through a simple DTI check. Your numbers will differ.
- Median income divided by twelve: $3,718 before taxes
- Median rent: $798, or 21 cents of every gross dollar
- $540: what a 36% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- $801: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
If your rent is above $798, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Lender oversight for Whitley County
Licensing happens at the state level, so a lender working with Whitley County borrowers answers to the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Kentucky guide.
Checklist for Whitley County applicants
A short checklist for Whitley County borrowers:
- Size the loan to the bill, not to the most a lender offers.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Kentucky guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Whitley County?
$44,615 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $63,726 for Kentucky. It ranks 99th of 120 in the state.
How does Whitley County rent compare with Kentucky?
$798 locally versus $967 for the state, 17% below.
What are the biggest places in Whitley County?
By population: Corbin, Williamsburg, Emlyn, Pleasant View, Rockholds. The county has 5 Census places in all.
Is the fit check different in Whitley County?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Who do I complain to about a lender in Whitley County?
Start with the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions, then the CFPB complaint portal. Keep copies of every message.