These 10 counties are the poorest in KY, ranking says. One has median income of $24K

The poorest county in Kentucky has a median income of $32,259, according to a recent report from financial website SmartAsset. The site named Breathitt County the poorest in the commonwealth.

The analysis named Fayette the 7th richest county in Kentucky, with a median income of $61,526.

SmartAsset used sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, real estate site Zillow and the U.S. Internal Revenue Service to compile the ranking.

Harlan County had the lowest median home value in the ranking at $64,490, but the county had a higher median income than some others. Kentucky’s median household income is $55,454, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Clay County had the highest poverty level among the 10 poorest counties at 35.9%, the Census Bureau reports, compared to Kentucky’s statewide poverty level of 16.5%. Wolfe County had the lowest median income at $24,349.

Poorest counties in Kentucky

Here’s how the 10 poorest counties in Kentucky compare, according to SmartAsset:

1. Breathitt County

• Median income: $32,259

• Investment income: $11,077

• Median home value: $71,454

• Poverty level: 31%

2. Wolfe County

• Median income: $24,349

• Investment income: $6,692

• Median home value: $152,051

• Poverty level: 29%

3. Knott County

• Median income: $35,583

• Investment income: $22,896

• Median home value: $104,842

• Poverty level: 32%

4. Harlan County

• Median income: $30,210

• Investment income: $15,005

• Median home value: $64,490

• Poverty level: 33.2%

5. Letcher County

• Median income: $35,278

• Investment income: $11,496

• Median home value: $70,678

• Poverty level: 29.1%

6. Owsley County

• Median income: $29,340

• Investment income: $8,125

• Median home value: $127,161

• Poverty level: 35.6%

7. Bell County

• Median income: $32,123

• Investment income: $19,324

• Median home value: $71,200

• Poverty level: 32.1%

8. Fulton County

• Median income: $33,567

• Investment income: $22,911

• Median home value: $70,853

• Poverty level: 23.4%

9. Clay County

• Median income: $33,399

• Investment income: $16,870

• Median home value: $107,492

• Poverty level: 35.9%

10. Lee County

• Median income: $29,817

• Investment income: $8,000

• Median home value: $112,896

• Poverty level: 33.5%

Meredith Howard

Belleville News-Democrat

Meredith Howard is a service journalist with the Belleville News-Democrat. She is a Baylor University graduate and has previously freelanced with the Illinois Times and the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. Support my work with a digital subscription