Letcher County, Kentucky: commercial real estate data.
Letcher County, Kentucky had an estimated 20,139 residents on July 1, 2024, down 6.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 21,550, across 338 square miles. County output reached $538.8 m in 2024, 277 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 6 7(a) approvals worth $389,000 since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Letcher County
How many people live in Letcher County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,808
- Households8,463
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$41,793
- Median age43.5
- Median gross rent$669 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$67,400
- Home value to household income1.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.2 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher12.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree5.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over14,909
- Population under 184,542
- Share under 1821.8 percent
- Population 65 and over4,340
- Share 65 and over20.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6411,926
- Civilian labor force7,230
- Unemployment rate6.2 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over44.4 percent
- Rank by population among Kentucky counties55th of 120
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1833rd of 3,222
Letcher County is the 55th largest of 120 Kentucky counties by population. A median home costs 1.6 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.8 percent against 20.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Letcher County
Is Letcher County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202420,139
- Census 2020 base population21,550
- Population change since the 2020 census base-6.55 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 2024-275
- Births, 2024193
- Deaths, 2024374
- Natural change, 2024-181
- Net domestic migration, 2024-95
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 2024-95
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-443
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents3068th of 3,144
The county has lost 6.55 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. The population fell in 2024 from both sources: deaths exceeded births and more people left than moved in.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Letcher County
Where are people moving to Letcher County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving210
- People arriving, from those returns418
- Tax returns filed by households leaving255
- Net household movement-45
- Adjusted gross income arriving$7.2 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$-2.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$34,433
- Average income of a leaving household$38,420
- Largest single originPike County (26 households)
- Largest single destinationPerry County (28 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pike County | 26 | 67 | $901,000 |
| Knott County | 23 | 47 | $428,000 |
Households arriving report $3,987 less average income than households leaving, which drains spending power even where headcount holds up. The largest single source of arrivals is Pike County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Letcher County
What is the Letcher County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$538.8 m
- County GDP, 2023$547.6 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-1.6 percent
- GDP change over five years50.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Kentucky areas BEA publishes71st of 120
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2358th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$25,894
Output grew -1.6 percent in the latest year and 50.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Letcher County
Employment by industry in Letcher County
- Covered employment, annual average4,258
- Establishments reporting500
- Average annual pay$45,995
- Average weekly wage$885
- Retail trade, employment726
- Retail trade, average annual pay$25,859
- Accommodation and food services, employment303
- Accommodation and food services, average annual pay$18,648
- Transportation and warehousing, employment124
- Transportation and warehousing, average annual pay$50,553
- Finance and insurance, employment80
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$44,692
- Other services, except public administration, employment76
- Construction, employment67
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 726 | 66 | $25,859 |
| Accommodation and food services | 303 | 23 | $18,648 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 124 | 22 | $50,553 |
| Finance and insurance | 80 | 21 | $44,692 |
| Other services, except public administration | 76 | 28 | $50,001 |
| Construction | 67 | 16 | $39,202 |
| Manufacturing | 64 | 11 | $45,032 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 54 | 11 | $34,205 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 726 jobs, 17.1 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Letcher County
How many businesses are in Letcher County?
- Establishments, all industries277
- Employment at those establishments3,171
- Annual payroll$147.8 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents13.3
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Letcher County
Building permits in Letcher County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241
- Declared construction value permitted$160,000
- Single family units authorized1
- Multifamily units authorized0
- Multifamily share of units0.0 percent
- Average declared value per unit$160,000
- Units authorized per 1,000 households0.1
Single-family homes are 100.0 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Letcher County
SBA loans in Letcher County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded6
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$389,000
- Average 7(a) approval$64,833
- Median 7(a) approval$57,500
- Largest single approval$142,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)20
- Jobs per approval3.3
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active1
- Distinct industries receiving approvals5
- Median 7(a) term66 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer0.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms0
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter6
- Franchise loans1
- Franchise share of approvals16.7 percent
- Most active lenderCommunity Trust Bank, Inc. (6)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Letcher County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Letcher County
Do SBA loans in Letcher County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded3
- Paid in full3
- Charged off0
- Status: Paid in full3
- Status: Exempt from disclosure3
Only 3 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Letcher County
SBA lending by place in Letcher County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending6
- Whitesburg, approvals1
- Isom, approvals1
- Millstone, approvals1
- Jenkins, approvals1
- Jeremiah, approvals1
- Mayking, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Whitesburg | 1 | $142,000 |
| Isom | 1 | $100,000 |
| Millstone | 1 | $85,000 |
| Jenkins | 1 | $30,000 |
| Jeremiah | 1 | $16,000 |
| Mayking | 1 | $16,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Letcher County
How large is Letcher County?
- Land area338 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Kentucky counties53rd of 120
- Width, east to west32.3 mi
- Height, north to south21.9 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land62
- Establishments per square mile0.82
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Letcher County
Flood risk in Letcher County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Letcher County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 210289
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book5
- Of those, participating in the NFIP5
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Letcher County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Letcher County (community 210289), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Letcher County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Letcher County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Letcher County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202420,808
- Households8,463
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$41,793
- Median age43.5
Common questions
Letcher County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Letcher County, Kentucky?
The Census Bureau estimates 20,139 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 20,808, in 8,463 households, ranking 55th of 120 Kentucky counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Letcher County's population growing?
The population has fallen 6.55 percent since the 2020 census base of 21,550, to 20,139 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 193 births against 374 deaths, with net migration of -95. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Letcher County?
$41,793. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $67,400, which is 1.6 times income, and median gross rent is $669 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Letcher County?
277 establishments, employing 3,171 people with an annual payroll of $147.8 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Letcher County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 726 jobs, 17.1 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 4,258 jobs at an average annual pay of $45,995, or $885 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Letcher County?
6 7(a) approvals totaling $389,000 since FY2020, across 1 lenders, with a median approval of $57,500. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Letcher County?
1 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $160,000. Multifamily was 0.0 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Letcher County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Letcher County come from?
The largest single origin is Pike County, with 26 households. Arriving households report an average income of $34,433 against $38,420 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Letcher County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Letcher County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Letcher County
Cities and places in Letcher.
8 Census places lie wholly or partly in Letcher County. All 8 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whitesburg | city | 1,761 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Jenkins | city | 1,406 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Fleming-Neon | city | 567 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| McRoberts | CDP | 556 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mayking | CDP | 503 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Payne Gap | CDP | 440 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Millstone | CDP | 317 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Blackey | CDP | 141 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 2 of the county's 6 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Letcher County, the largest being Isom (1), Jeremiah (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby